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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745904">The City of the Dead- The Mummy AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halliwell19/pseuds/Halliwell19'>Halliwell19</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Historical Romances and Where to Find Them [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Mummy (1999)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Afterlife, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Anicent Egyptian Mythology, Author took liberties, Ben is Evelyn, Eventual Romance, F/M, Happy Ending, Minor Character Deaths, Poe is Jonathan, Reincarnation, Rey is Rick O'Connell, Reylo - Freeform, Smut, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Mummy-AU, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:34:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halliwell19/pseuds/Halliwell19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Solo is taken on the adventure of a lifetime when his adopted brother, Poe Dameron, steals an ancient puzzle box from Rey O'Connell. </p><p>(Honestly, you all have seen the movie, right? It's just that, but with Ben as Evelyn and Rey as Rick).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Historical Romances and Where to Find Them [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>No Harm Ever Came From Reading A Book</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So even though Leia and Han are not major characters in this fic, they along with Ben are supposed to be reincarnated from the Egyptian Royal family.<br/>Leia= Queen Seti<br/>Han= King<br/>Ben= Ramesses II</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Thebes; City of the living, the crown jewel of Queen Seti I, and home of the High Priest Imhotep. Birthplace of Anck Su Namun, the Priestess of the Force and Pharaoh’s most trusted advisor.</p><p>  On the night of the full moon, Imhotep and Anck Su Namun met in secret to plan the coup of Queen Seti I. With the royal family removed, they could bring a new rule to the kingdom of Egypt. Their order operated in secret within the walls of the queen’s palace, gaining her trust and directing her rule. However, King Tuya suspected Imhotep’s betrayal and ordered the Medjay to storm his temple.</p><p>  Pushing the golden doors open, priest on either side bowed in respect of their king. Scanning the room, he spotted Anck Su Namun standing by the statue of Bastet.</p><p>  “What are you doing here?” asked King Tuya.</p><p>  Anck Su Namun stood stiff, right hand draped over the head of the cat statue. She cast her gaze down at the ground to avoid the King’s interrogating stare. King Tuya looked past her to see a table filled with forbidden spell books.</p><p>“Are you planning an attack? You would betray your Pharaoh?” King Tuya yelled as he pointed towards the evidence.</p><p>  Anck Su Namun’s eyes widen in fear as Imhotep approached from behind King Tuya.</p><p>  “Imhotep?” King Tuya said confused as Imhotep pulled a sword from around the King’s waist. From behind, Anck Su Namun took a dagger she had been hiding and plunged it into King Tuya’s side. The King cried out in pain as Imhotep and Anck Su Namun continued to take turns stabbing the man in various places around his body.</p><p>  Suddenly, the Medjay were banging down the door into the temple. Imhotep and Anck Su Namun looked up in fear. It was only a matter of time before they were caught and sentenced for their crime.</p><p>  “You must go. Save yourself!” Anck Su Namun begged.</p><p>  “No.” replied Imhotep.</p><p>  “Only you can resurrect me! Then I can help you take over and rule Egypt.” She said. They stared into each other’s eyes, sharing a brief moment of understanding before the Medjay arrested Imhotep.</p><p>“I won’t leave you. Get away from me!” Imhotep yelled as the Medjay dragged him away, “By the Force, you shall live again. Ruling is our destiny.”</p><p>  Another company of Medjay stormed into the temple, ready to arrest Anck Su Namun. She stared the head guard in the eye and shouted, “Palpatine will rise again!” before thrusting the dagger through her stomach.</p><p>  Imhotep watched Anck Su Namun’s shadow on the temple wall as she scarified herself. He turned away in pain, feeling her soul becoming apart of the Force. Eventually, he would escape along with his priests. They stole Anck Su Namun’s body and ran to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead.</p><p>  Imhotep angered the Gods by stealing the black book of the dead. With its power, he would resurrect Anck Su Namun so that she could read and interpet the old language of the Sith. Together, they would call upon the dark side of the Force and the Sith Palpatine would rise. With this power, Imhotep would be unstoppable and all the riches of Egypt would be his.</p><p>  In order to retrieve Anck Su Namun’s soul from the Force, a ritual had to be performed. Upon her death, Anck Su Namun’s main organs were removed and placed in five sacred jars. With the dark incantation, Anck Su Namun’s soul returned to the land of the living, but before Imhotep could complete the ritual, the Medjay intercepted.</p><p>  Imhotep’s priests were condemned to be mummified alive. As for Imhotep, he was condemned to endure the Hom Dai, the worse of all ancient curses. It was one so horrible, that it had never been performed.</p><p>  His tongue was cut out and then his body was wrapped entirely in white gaze before being placed into a sarcophagus alive. Imhotep struggled against the restaint of the wrappings. Before the sarcophagus was sealed, scarabs were thrown inside to join Imhotep with his fate as the flesh eating bugs slowly ate him alive. As they sealed the lid over the sarcophagus, locking away his body forever, his screams of pain could only be muffled as they burried the sarcophagus at the base of the statue of Anubis. They seemed to echo like ghost throughout the preparation chamber.</p><p>  Queen Seti I entrusted the head of the Medjay and brother to keep the key that could open Imhotep’s sarcophagus. The Medjay would never allow Imhotep to be released, for he would arise a walking disease; a plague upon mankind; an unholy flesh eater with the strength of ages; power over the sands; and the glory of invincibility.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hamunaptra - 1923</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rey's backstory</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   For over 3,000 years, man and armies fought over this land as it was believed to be the resting place of all of Ancient Egypt’s wealth. Ignorant as ever, mankind never truly knew what evil lay beneath the rusty sands of what was left of Hamunaptra as a British calvary charged towards the French army attempting to hold their ground.</p>
<p>   The Saharan sun beat down on Rey O’Connell as the French army lined up along what was left of the city walls as they prepared to fight for their claim. Various commands were shouted down the line as the cavalry approached from the distance on horseback.</p>
<p>   Finn watched from the cliff above along with his other fellow guardians, waiting for the inevitable outcome. He was part of the distinguished group, known as the Medjay, descendants of Pharaoh’s body guards, charged with the duty to protect Hamunaptra and to keep the creature from ever rising into the flesh.</p>
<p>   Unable to handle the pressure and possible impending doom, the captain of the guard threw down his sword and ran to hide in the ruins that the army was protecting. Rey and her second in command, Armitage Hux, watched the man cowardly desert their post. As they made eye contact with one another, Hux said to her, “He just got promoted.”</p>
<p>            Rey cocked her gun, pissed at the situation and began shouting commands in French as she locked her weapon towards the horizon. Keeping her weapon steady, she continued yelling down the line to tell the men to do the same. She lowered her voice and whispered to her left towards Hux, “You’re with me on this one, right?”</p>
<p>            “Oh, your strength gives me strength.” Hux replied in a mildly sarcastic high-pitched tone.</p>
<p>            The impending cavalry that grew closer only made Rey continue her orders to the army to stand their ground and hold steady increase. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hux shake his head, stand up, and run in the same direction as the captain of the guard.</p>
<p>            “Wait! Hey, wait for me!” he yelled in his retreat.</p>
<p>            Rolling her eyes, Rey prepared to fire her weapon. When she could see the whites of the eyes of the horses she shouted, “Fire!” and the army let lose their first round of ammunition. As men and horse fell to the ground, the bullets ricocheted and sand scattered into the air creating a screen that followed the cavalry.</p>
<p>            The battle itself was long and bloody with casualties pilling up quickly on each side. When the line was broken, Rey resorted to hand-to-hand combat in order to stay alive. Tapping into her other weapons, she shot many enemies as she retreated further into the ruins. It didn’t matter to Rey that they were fighting to keep a bunch of old, invaluable rocks buried in the sands. All that mattered was whoever paid the highest for her services, and that she didn’t die in this god forsaken desert.</p>
<p>   She was almost to a hidden entrance when she saw Hux standing right outside the stone door. “Run, Hux! Get inside! Get inside!” she shouted running right behind him.</p>
<p>   Hux turned and bolted towards the entrance, closing the stone door on Rey before she could get inside.</p>
<p>   “Hey! Don’t you close that door! Don’t you close that door!” Rey shouted at him, banging on the door, but Hux ignored her.</p>
<p>   Bullets began shattering all around Rey as the British army caught up to her. She ran through the ruins, dogging each shot and leaping over fallen pillars to avoid her fate. She ran right into a statue of Anubis, the Egyptian god of dead. <em>This is it </em>she thought <em>This is how I am going to die. In the middle of the desert as a nobody. </em></p>
<p>   A group of cavalry soldiers made an execution line as they pointed their rifles right at Rey. She closed her eyes, when suddenly she felt a strange disturbance in the air that she could not explain. Distressed whines and trampling hooves echoed throughout the ruins as the British cavalry turned their animals away from Rey and ran out of the city.</p>
<p>  An inaudible whisper filled her ears and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Turning towards the statue, she heard a man’s voice telling her <em>You will die! You will die!</em></p>
<p>  Next thing she knew, the sand began to rise and dance around her like it was trying to attack her. Something howled in the distance, but Rey could not see an animal of any kind. Instead, she found the face of a man emerging from the sand and something heavy in her pocket that was not there before.</p>
<p>  After that, Rey ran from the battle towards the vast endless desert. As she stumbled out into the Sahara, she turned around and looked at the ruined city one last time. It was tainted with fresh blood and looked almost orange as the sun was starting to set into the late afternoon.</p>
<p>Up on the cliff overlooking the city of Hamunaptra, Finn looked down at the survivor running out into the Sahara. “The Creature remains undiscover.” He said towards the leader of the Medjay.</p>
<p>The head of the Medjay, Luke Skywalker brought his horse to stand next to Finn as they glared down at the sight below. Rey looked up and made eye contact with the men. She briefly looked, and then turned her attention back to trying to get to civilization. </p>
<p>“And what of this one?” Luke Skywalker asked Finn, “Should we kill her?”</p>
<p>“No,” Finn replied, “The desert will kill her.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Cairo, Egypt- 1926</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Y'all ready for librarian Ben? Ha Ha!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities was one of the most famous collectors of ancient artifices int he world. Situated within the heart of Cairo, explorers and distinguished professionals in the academia would come from all over not only to see the exhibits, but to study and learn about ancient life from the text and valuable artifacts.</p>
<p>              Ben Solo was no exception when it came to his fascination of Egypt. He began working there as a page and researcher about two years ago, shortly after his parents Leia and Han Solo passed away. Han was a famous American explorer. After not catching a break on his initial quest to discover gold in the land out in the wild west of America, he came to Egypt in search of a new adventure and ended up falling in love with his Mother, Leia Organa. Leia was part British and part Egyptian, her family descendants of the royal house of Ramesses II. Together, along with her brother, Luke Skywalker, they tried to bring ethics and morality during the times of great discovery. As the tombs and wealth of Egypt’s past began to be unearthed, unfortunately, so did the greed of many. His uncle refused to tell him the circumstances behind his parents’ death, just that it was determined a tragic accident and to never speak of it again. He tried not to resent his Uncle too much, for he and Ben’s adopted brother, Poe Dameron, were the only family he had left. Sometimes when Ben thinks about it, it made him feel very lonely. A lonely life of filing text and cleaning exhibits, the latter of which he was doing at this very moment.</p>
<p>              “Stone, Sculptors and aesthetics. Socrates, Seth, Volume one, volume two, and volume three.” He said to himself as he stood on the rickety ladder filing the reference books in their proper place. He was about to place another book next the volumes of Seth when he read the title out loud, “Tuthmosis? What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>              Looking for the, “T” section, Ben saw it was on the shelve right behind him. He placed the three remaining books for filing on the shelve in front of him and grabbed the misfiled book. “I’m going to put you where you belong.” He said as he reached behind him. Stretching, almost touching the opposite shelf, he gasped in surprise as his actions caused the ladder to be removed from the shelf in front of him. In a delicate balancing act, Ben Solo was on two polls trying not to fall over. “Help” he whispered taking slow deep breaths in a failed attempt to calm his nerves. Looking down at the floor he saw the polls of the ladder tether on and off the ground, the action fueling his adrenaline.</p>
<p>              Losing control, the ladder fell forward towards the "S" bookcase, causing it to crash, creating a domino affect around the rest of the library. As Ben stood up, mostly unharmed from falling off the ladder, he watched the chaos unfold as bookcase after bookcase tumbled down. He could hear glass shattering in various places. Papers and books flew in all kinds of directions, just adding to the mess. Ben slowly reached up and removed his glasses from his face whispering to himself, “oops”.</p>
<p>              “What…How…” the curator, and his Uncle, Luke Skywalker stumbled into the library. Complete shock and awe filled his face as he examined the mess Ben had accidently created.</p>
<p>              “Oh, look at this!” Luke yelled. “Sons of the Pharaoh’s! Give me frogs! Flies! Locusts!” Anything but you! Compared to you, the other plagues were a joy!”</p>
<p>              Ben looked at his Uncle, embarrassed and upset he said, “I am so very sorry. It was an accident.”</p>
<p>              Shaking his head and clapping his hands together Luke stared at Ben, “My nephew, when Rameses destroyed Syria, that was an accident. You are a catastrophe! Look at my library! Why do I put up with you?”</p>
<p>              “Well besides being family, you put up with me because I can read and write Ancient Egyptian. I can decipher hieroglyphic and hieratic, and well I am the only person within 1,000 miles of this place who knows how to properly code and catalog this library, that why!” Ben’s voice began timid, but the anger and defensive tone gradually built towards the end as he responded to his Uncle’s allegations.</p>
<p>              “I put up with you because your father and mother were this library’s life and blood source. Allah rest their souls.” Luke said.</p>
<p>   Ben looked down towards the ground. Uncle Luke never talked about them, nor did he talk about the fact that Han and Leia left their entire estate and collection to the library upon their passing. That’s why Ben loved working there. It was like a part of them was still alive, that he was home and could still remain connected to them.</p>
<p>   “Now, I don’t care how you do it, I don’t care how long it takes, straighten up this meshiver!” Luke yelled on more time and stormed out of the library.</p>
<p>   As Luke was leaving, Ben heard a clattering coming from the exhibit room behind the library. He turned to investigate, leaving his glasses behind on the desk. Upon entering the exhibit room, he saw not one living soul. Calling out into the room he received no response. Ben grabbed a lit torch and began walking further into the exhibit. Maybe it was the exchange student there for the summer on college credit? “Abdul?” He called. Still no response.</p>
<p>   Maybe someone else on the staff was cleaning and exchanging exhibits out? “Mohammad? Bob?” He tried again, and yet still no response. To Ben’s left, a thudding noise came from the sarcophagus that displayed a real mummy dug from a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Slowly walking towards the open sarcophagus, Ben looked inside.</p>
<p>   Suddenly, the decomposing corpse rose to a sitting position, causing Ben to scream and curse in fright. Two long legs rose up into the air followed by a deep and recognizable laugh of his adoptive brother, Poe Dameron.</p>
<p>   “Have you no respect for the dead?” Ben yelled at Poe in annoyance.</p>
<p>   Poe continued to laugh as Ben set the torch down. “Oh course I do,” Poe replied putting his arm around the corpse playfully setting its arm to rest on the edge of the sarcophagus, “But sometimes I’d rather like to join them.”</p>
<p>   “Well, I wish you would do it sooner rather than later before you ruin my career the way you’ve ruined yours.” Ben said in distress. He slapped Poe’s hand telling him to get out of the sarcophagus.</p>
<p>   “My dear sweet brother, I’ll have you know that, at this precise moment, my career is on a high note.” Poe said as stumbled out of the sarcophagus.</p>
<p>   “High note, ha!” Ben replied, “Poe, please, I’m really not in the mood for you. I’ve just made a bit of a mess in the library, and Uncle Luke is quite upset. Plus, the Bembridge scholars have rejected my application form again. They say I don’t have enough experience in the field.”</p>
<p>   Poe looked down at Ben with sympathy in his eyes. He cared greatly for his older brother, and always supported his dream of working with the Bembridge scholars. Right before their parents died, Ben was going to partake in a dig in Thebes. But life circumstances changed and instead his older brother ended up moving to Egypt and spending the next two years in a library when he could be something greater. Poe took his spot on the dig and ended up making a complete fool of himself losing all respect in the academic world. Since then, he had been trying to repair his name. And becoming rich wasn't a bad goal either, right?</p>
<p>   Sitting down now next to his older brother, Poe look at him and smiled, “You’ll always have me, old mum.”</p>
<p>   The nickname used to piss Ben off when they were kids. Now it was a funny reminder of the past. Poe and Ben shared the joy only siblings could understand when Poe turned around to dig for something in the sarcophagus and said, “Besides, I have just the thing to cheer you up.”</p>
<p>   “Oh, no, Poe, not another worthless trinket.” Ben said, “If I have to take one more piece of junk to our uncle to try and sell for you…” Ben stopped mid-sentence as he stared at the little puzzle box in front of him.</p>
<p>   Carefully taking the box out of Poe’s hand, Ben examined the text carved along the sides of the box. “Where did you get this?” He asked Poe.</p>
<p>   “On a dig down in Thebes.” Poe scoffed, “My whole life, I have never found anything. Please, Ben, please tell me I’ve found something.”</p>
<p>   Ben twisted the sides of the box. It opened into a star-like pattern revealing a piece of papyrus hidden inside. Ben gasped, “Poe.”</p>
<p>   “Yes,” Poe desperately said.</p>
<p>   “I think you found something” Ben said smiling as he carefully removed the papyrus from the puzzle box.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments and Kudos are always appreciated. Hope everyone is enjoying the ride so far!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Search for Hamunaptra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ben and Poe meet Rey!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   “You see the cartouche there? It’s the official royal seal of Queen Seti the First, I’m sure of it.” Ben said. After taking some time to examine and decipher the map, he and Poe had run straight to his Uncle’s office to show him Poe’s discovery.</p>
<p>   Luke held the magnifying glass over his left eye as he carefully studied the markings Ben kept pointing out. He removed the device from his face and set it to the side, “Perhaps.” Was his less than enthusiastic reply.</p>
<p>   “Two questions. Who the hell was Seti the First, and was she rich?” Poe asked coming to stand behind his Uncle’s other shoulder.</p>
<p>   “She was the second pharaoh of the 19<sup>th</sup> dynasty, said to be the wealthiest pharaoh of them all.” Ben answered with enthusiasm behind his voice.</p>
<p>“Good. I like this fellow. I like her very much.” Poe replied with just as much enthusiasm.</p>
<p>   Turning back to their uncle, Ben said, “I’ve already dated the map. It’s almost 3,000 years old. And if you look at the hieratic just here, well, it’s Hamunaptra.” Poe’s eyes widen at the mention of the city of the dead.</p>
<p>   “Dear god, don’t be ridiculous. We’re scholars, not treasure hunters.” Said Luke. He looked up at his nephews with disbelief in his eyes. “Hamunaptra’s a myth told by ancient Arab storytellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists.”</p>
<p>   “Yes, yes I know all the blather about the city being protected by the curse of a mummy nonsense, but my research has led me to believe that the city itself may have actually existed.” Ben defended.</p>
<p>   Poe came back around to look at the symbol in the corner of the map and asked, “Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?”</p>
<p>   “Yes. The City of the Dead.” Ben confirmed, “Where the earliest pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt.”</p>
<p>   “Yes, Yes, in a big, underground treasure chamber.” Poe exclaimed.</p>
<p>   “Heh!” snorted Luke.</p>
<p>   “Oh, come on Uncle. Everybody knows the story.” Poe tried to cajole him, “The entire necropolis was rigged to sink into the sand on Pharaoh’s command. A flick of a switch, and the whole place would disappear beneath the sand dune, taking the treasure with it.”</p>
<p>   Holding the map closer and closer to the flame, Luke replied to his nephew’s aspiration, “As the Americans would say, it’s all fairy tales and hokum… Oh, my goodness! Look at that!”</p>
<p>   The map caught fire and went flying out of Luke’s hands. With their bare hands, Poe and Ben rushed to put out the flame and prevent any further damage to the map.</p>
<p>   Poe turned it over to examine the damage his uncle had done, “You’ve burnt it! You’ve burnt off the part about the lost city!” He accused Luke.</p>
<p>   “It’s for the best, I’m sure.” Luke replied. He lacked any consolation for his actions. “Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra. No one’s ever found it. Most have never returned.”</p>
<p>   Poe and Ben left their uncle’s office, feeling defeated. However now would they find the City of the Dead?</p>
<p>“Ben, I might know someone who can lead us to the city,” Poe said, gathering their things and leaving behind the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Too stunned by the turn of events to question Poe, Ben grabbed his glasses of his desk and followed Poe out into the blistering Egyptian heat.</p>
<p>___________________________________________</p>
<p>   “Come, Come! Step over the threshold. Welcome to Cairo Prison, my humble home.” Said the fat, disagreeable warden. His name was Unkar Plutt, and he smelled just as bad as the manner he possessed.</p>
<p>Leading them across the prison work yard, Ben turned towards Poe. Upset he said, “You told me that you got it on dig down in Thebes.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well, I was mistaken,” Poe replied blatantly.</p>
<p>“You lied to me.” Ben said back.</p>
<p>“I lie to everybody. What makes you so special?”</p>
<p>“Because I am your brother, Poe.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well that just makes you more gullible.”</p>
<p>   “Poe, you stole it form a drunk at the local casbah.” Ben yelled, disappointed in his brother’s actions.</p>
<p>   “Picked her pocket, actually, so I’ve changed my mind and now I don’t think it’s a very good idea…” Poe trailed off trying to pull Ben away from the cell.</p>
<p>   “Stop being so ridiculous.” Ben said to Poe. He turned and pulled Poe back to the bars that the warden stood in front of. Addressing the warden, Ben said, “What exactly is this person in prison for?”</p>
<p>   Unkar Plutt looked up at Ben, “This I do not know. But when I heard that you were coming, I asked her that myself.” He turned back to the guards who were retrieving the person that Poe had stolen the box from, yelling at them to hurry up.</p>
<p>   “And what did he say?” Ben asked the warden.</p>
<p>   “She. She said she was just looking for a good time.” Replied Unkar as he turned his hand in time to the prison door opening.</p>
<p>   Ben watched as the guards dragged this feral girl out into the tiny courtyard behind the bars. She was in rags and covered in dirt from head to toe. Her hair was down and unkept, covering part of her face that was adorned with freckles. The chains on her wrist rattled as the guards pushed her up against the bars. She cried out in pain as one of the guards hit her across her back with a night stick. She fell to her knees, looking small and fragile. Ben stumbled forward wanting to save the girl from the torment. </p>
<p>   “You stole the map from a woman?” Ben asked Poe in disbelief.</p>
<p>   “Yes, exactly.” Said Poe, who sounded a little ashamed for his actions and the consequences they have produced. “Why don’t we just go sniff out a spot of tiffin…”</p>
<p>“Who are you.” The girl asked Ben and Poe.</p>
<p>   Ben and Poe stared at her for a second. She dropped her hand from the bars and stared at Ben. A smirk formed across her face as she raked in Ben’s physic, “and who’s the Cad?”</p>
<p>“Cad?” Ben replied insulted.</p>
<p>   Poe stumbled a bit over his words as he lied to try and salvage the meeting. “I’m just a local sort of missionary chap, spreading the good word and all that, but this is my brother, Ben.” Poe grabbed Ben’s forearm and dragged him closer to the bars.</p>
<p>   “How do you do?” Ben said nodding his head towards the girl.</p>
<p>   The girl just nodded her head back and said, “Oh, well. Guess he’s not a total loss.”</p>
<p>   “I beg your pardon.” Ben said back. Suddenly a disturbance caused the warden to yell across the courtyard. He stormed away, indicating he would be back in a minute.</p>
<p>  Poe whispered to Ben, “ask her about the box.”</p>
<p>   “We have found… Hello, excuse me.” Ben said trying to get the girls attention. “We have found your puzzle box and we have come to ask you about it.”</p>
<p>   The girl looked between the two and shook her head, “No.”</p>
<p>   “No.” Ben repeated back to her.</p>
<p>   “No. You came to ask me about Hamunaptra.” The girl accused the men.</p>
<p>   Poe tried to shush her in order to keep her voice down. Ben stared at her with wonder in his eyes and asked, “How do you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?”</p>
<p>   “Because that’s where I was when I found it. I was there.” The girl replied.</p>
<p>   Poe came closer to the bars so that he was face to face with the girl. He asked, “But how do we know that’s not a load of pig’s wallow?”</p>
<p>   The girl leaned back a bit and pointed her finger at Poe, “Do I know you?” she asked.</p>
<p>   Poe just smiled and shook his head saying, “no, no. I just got one of those faces…”</p>
<p>   Her face turned from a look of confusion to that of recognition as she pulled her hand back, making a fist, and socked Poe straight into the jaw. Poe fell to the ground, Ben not bothering to help his brother up. <em>He probably deserved that </em>thought Ben as the guard slapped the night stick across the girls back a second time for her misconduct.</p>
<p>   Stepping over Poe as he rolled on the ground in pain, Ben pressed the girl for her story, “You were actually at Hamunaptra?”</p>
<p>   The girl smiled, “yeah, I was there.”</p>
<p>   “You swear?”</p>
<p>   “Every damn day.”</p>
<p>   “No, I didn’t mean that.” Ben corrected.</p>
<p>   “I know what you mean. I know. I was there. Seti’s place. City of the Dead.” The girl said waving her hands in mock fear.</p>
<p>   A new sense of wonder filled Ben’s eyes as he leaned down and asked, “Could you tell me how to get there? I mean the exact location?”</p>
<p>   “You want to know?” the girl asked him.</p>
<p>   Leaning closer Ben said, “Well, yes.”</p>
<p>  “Do you really want to know?” the girl asked him again.</p>
<p>   “Yes.” Ben said leaning in so close that he and this girl could almost touch. Ben pulled his sun hat off his head to cover one side of his face to give their conversation a sense of privacy. She gestured for him to come just a little bit closer when suddenly Ben felt her dainty fingers grip the sides of his jaw to bring his lips towards her.</p>
<p>   The kiss itself was rushed and unpracticed and barely lasted five seconds before the guards pulled the girl off of him. Before she was taken away, she said to Ben, “Then get me the hell out of here.” It had been years since Ben had been kissed by another woman, but for some reason there were feelings inside of him stirring that he thought would never resurface after he left London. He could still feel the initial shock that left tingles throughout his veins despite the shortness of the moment. </p>
<p>   As the guards beat and rushed the girl back behind the door and into the heart of the prison, Ben turned back to the warden that had just arrived and asked, “Where are they taking her?"</p>
<p>   “To be hanged. Apparently, she had a very good time.” Replied Unkar Plutt.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Save the Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meeting Rey Part 2</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   In the execution yard, the prisoners were gathering to watch the girl hang for their entertainment. Up in the balcony, Unkar Plutt and Ben Solo sat with the perfect view for the girl’s demise.</p><p>   “I will give you One hundred pounds to save this woman’s life.” Ben said as he saw the executors tie the noose around the girl’s neck.</p><p>   “Good sir, I would pay one hundred pounds just to see her hang.”</p><p>   “Two, two hundred pounds.” Ben said raising the price.</p><p>   “Proceed” replied Unkar Plutt</p><p>   “Three hundred pounds.” Ben raised again. He was never very good at poker, nor was he a betting man, but he knew everyone had a price, eventually.</p><p>   Out on platform, the executioner asked Rey O’Connell if she had any last request while he tightened the noose.</p><p>   Turning to her executioner she said, “Yeah, Loosen the knot and let me go.”</p><p>   The executioner turned and yelled at Unkar Plutt up in the balcony asking in Arabic about Rey’s request. Unkar yelled back at the executioner, Of course they don’t let her go! Unkar yelled at the executioner to hurry up.</p><p>   The executioner turned back to Rey and slapped her upside her head before walking over to the lever that would release the trap door, dropping Rey to her death.</p><p>   Ben turned back to Unkar Plutt and yelled in desperation, “five hundred pounds.”</p><p>   Unkar raised his hand telling the executioner to hold on one moment. Turning back toward Ben, Unkar asked, “What is this woman to you? She is nothing. A desert rat and a whore.”</p><p>   Without thinking, Ben slapped the man for his insults towards a woman he did not know. The crowd began laughing at the warden’s pain and embarrassment. Before Ben could stop it, the warden yelled to proceed with the execution.</p><p>   With the lever pulled, Rey fell though the new hole of the platform and began dangling for her life. Ben screamed as he watched Rey slowly strangle to death.</p><p>   “Her neck did not break.” Unkar said laughing at the situation. With sarcasm and no sympathy, Unkar said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. Now we must watch her strangle to death.”</p><p>   The prison crowd began to cheer wilding as Rey continued to hang. Taking large deep breaths, Ben turned towards Unkar and said, “That woman knows the location to Hamunaptra.”</p><p>   Unkar Plutt took his gaze away from the spectacle in the execution yard to look Ben in the eye. “You lie.” He accused.</p><p>   “I would never!” replied Ben insulted.</p><p>   “Are you telling me this filly sonless god of pig knows where to find the City of the Dead?” Unkar asked.</p><p>   “Yes, and if you cut her down, we will give you 10 percent.” Ben offered. It was a calculated risk, but it was one that just might save the girl's life. </p><p>   “50 percent.” Unkar countered.</p><p>   “20”</p><p>   “40”</p><p>   “30”</p><p>   “25”</p><p>   “Ah!” Ben exclaimed, “Deal!”</p><p>   Realizing his mistake, Unkar cried out in disbelief as he ordered the guards to cut the girl down.</p><p>   The crowd loudly cheered as Rey was cut from the rope and dropped to the ground. Sucking in a deep breath, she rolled over and looked up at the man who saved her life. Ben Solo stood up in the balcony with a soft, smug, and crooked smile that accentuated his incredibly handsome face. Who was this man, and what did he care about so much that caused him to save Rey’s life?</p><p>_________________________</p><p>   Poe and Ben were walking along the Port of Giza towards the boat that would take them down the Nile River to their destination. The trip to Hamunaptra required a day long boat ride to make it to the lower Nile valley and then would take two more days across the desert on camel back. </p><p>            “Do you really think she’s going to show up?” Ben asked Poe.</p><p>            “Yes, undoubtedly, knowing my luck. She may be a cowgirl, but I know the breed. Her word is her word.” Poe replied.</p><p>            “Well, personally I think she is filthy, rude, and a complete scoundrel.” Said Ben.</p><p>            “Anyone I know?” said a feminine voice from behind the gentlemen.</p><p>            “Oh,” Ben said setting down his luggage. He looked at Rey in shock. She cleaned up well. Under the blazing Egyptian sun, she looked angelic as she was dressed in a white tunic and leggings. Her hair was pulled back into three simple buns, allowing her face to show fully. Her eyes were wide and a beautiful shade of emerald that would put all the jewels of the Nile to shame, “Hello.” He finally replied</p><p>            “Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O’Connell?” Poe joked, slapping Rey on the back behind her shoulder.</p><p>            “Yeah, Yeah, smashing.” Rey replied. She pulled out her wallet  from inside the breast pocket of the light tan jacket she wore to double check Poe hadn’t stolen it form her.</p><p>            “Oh, no, no, I’d never steal from a partner, partner.” Poe replied.</p><p>            Rey laughed, “That reminds me no hard feelings about the…” she said gesturing a fake punch towards Poe’s face.</p><p>            Poe waved her off, “Oh, no, no. Happens all the time.”</p><p>            “Ms. O’Connell.” Ben interpreted, “Can you look me in the eye and guarantee me that this isn’t some sort of a flim-flam. Because if it is I am warning you…”</p><p>            “You’re warning me?” Rey lightly laughed in disbelief. Yes, Ben was a few feet and a half taller than her and towered over her like a giant, but she could hold her ground. “Sir, let me put it this way, my whole damn garrison believed in this so much that without orders, they marched us halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. And when we got there, all we found was sand and blood.”</p><p>            They stared into each other’s eyes for a brief moment before Rey broke contact, “Let me get your bag.” The heat of her gaze washed over Ben, stunning him as she grabbed both of his bags by their handles and proceeded up the ramp to board the boat.</p><p>            Poe noticed Ben was staring at Rey with an enamored look on his face, “Yes, yes, you’re right. Filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel. Nothing to like there at all.” He teased Ben.</p><p>            Ben shot Poe a warning look and was about to say something when Unkar Plutt walked up to the gentlemen. “Bright good morning to all.” He said.</p><p>            “Oh, what are you doing here?” Ben asked in annoyance. </p><p>            “I’m here to protect my investment, thank you very much.” Unkar replied as he shimmied up the ramp to board the boat.</p><p>            Poe and Ben just shrugged at one another, sighing, before procceding to follow their little mis-matched crew onto the boat. The City of the Dead awaited them. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I just wanted to drop a quick note to let everyone one this is unbeted, so I apologize if there are any mistakes. Also, this story was inspired by ReyloRobin2011's Wildest Aspirations Series. It is honestly the best Archeology Reylo AU I have ever read and I highly encourage you go check it out!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Unexpected River Boat Ride</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The River Boat Action scene you all have been waiting for.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The full moon shown brightly across the Nile River Valley as the Medjay paddled silently behind the boat downstream. Unbeknownst to the passengers, this operation required the upmost stealth and diligence. They could not allow anyone to set foot into the City of the Dead and risk waking the creature. Sharpening his hook, Mikatia held it up to examine his work in the moonlight. He would ensure that the westerns would never reach the city.</p>
<p>            On the deck of the boat, Poe was around a small green table with a bunch of Brits ready to play a round of poker. One of the men, Daniels, slammed the deck down on the table, telling his partner, Burns, to quit cleaning his glasses and to cut the deck. The banter between the two men continued when Rey O’Connell walked out on the deck passing by the table.</p>
<p>            “Ah, O’Connell, sit down. We could use another player.” Said Poe.</p>
<p>            “I only gamble with my life, never my money.” Rey replied declining the invitation.</p>
<p>            “Never?” asked Daniels as he continued dealing the cards, “What if I was to bet you $500 we get to Hamunaptra before you?”</p>
<p>            “You’re looking for Hamunaptra?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>            “Damn straight we are.” Said Henderson, the third and final man at the table.</p>
<p>            “And who says we are?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>            “He does.” All three men said pointing their fingers at Poe.</p>
<p>            Looking guilty as ever, Poe just smiled as he picked up his cards and looked at them.</p>
<p>            “Well how about it? Is it a bet?” Daniels asked Rey.</p>
<p>            “Alright, you’re on.” Rey said smiling back.</p>
<p>            “What makes you so confident, madaem?" said the doctor reading by the lamp light just slightly away from the poker table.</p>
<p>            “What makes you?” Rey countered.</p>
<p>            “We got us a man who’s actually been there.” Said Henderson.</p>
<p>            Not wanting to be outdone, Poe replied, “Oh, what a coincidence, because O’Connell…” before he could finish Rey hit Poe upside the back of his head to keep him quiet. To try and cover it up, Poe cleared his throat and said, “Whose play is it? Is it my play? I thought…”</p>
<p>            Rey came over to Poe’s other side laying her hand on his shoulder, “Gentlemen, we got us a wager. Good evening, Poe.” For good measure, Rey squeezed Poe’s shoulder a little harder than necessary as a reminder to keep his mouth shut before walking away to find Ben Solo sitting by himself, reading a book.</p>
<p>            Rey stared at him for a brief moment, finally able to appreciate the man who saved her life. He was tall and unconventionally attractive. His hair seemed to flow longer than normal, wavy to cover his ears. His nose was pointed, and moles spotted his face, but what really attracted Rey was his molten chocolate eyes that usually looked upon the world with kindness and a child like curiosity. The burning need to go over and talk to him outweighed Rey’s better judgment as she threw her bag down on the table in front of Ben Solo startling him.</p>
<p>            “Sorry,” she apologized. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”</p>
<p>            “The only thing that scares me Ms. O’Connell are your manners.” Ben replied turning his attention back to his book.</p>
<p>            Aware of the underlining implication, Rey asked, “Still angry about that kiss, huh?”</p>
<p>            “Well, if you call that a kiss.” Ben was trying to anger Rey and it was working.</p>
<p>            With a smug expression on her face, Rey rolled open her bag to reveal a slew of weapons for various types of combat.</p>
<p>            Startled, Ben set his book aside, taking off his glasses, while Rey took a seat across from him. “Did I miss something? Are we… Are we going into battle?” he asked.</p>
<p>            Rey picked up a pistol and began cleaning the barrel when she said, “Sir, there is something out there. Something underneath that sand.” Spinning the barrel a few times, Rey loaded the weapon and returned it to a holster on her side.</p>
<p>            “Yes, well, I’m hoping to find a certain artifact. A book, actually. My brother thinks there’s treasure.” Unable to hide his curiosity any further, Ben reached forward to pick up a small knife of sorts asking, “What do you think’s out there?”</p>
<p>            Rey had picked up another gun to load, “In a word? Evil. The Bedouin and the Tuaregs believe that Hamunaptra is cursed.” Rey leaned forward and removed the knife that Ben was playing with before he could hurt himself.</p>
<p>            “Oh, look, I don’t believe in fairy tales and hokum, Ms. O’Connell, but I do believe one of the most famous books in history is buried there. The Book of Amun-Ra.” Ben excitedly explained. “It contains within it all the secret incantations of the old kingdom. It’s what first interested me in Egypt when I was a child. It’s why I came here. Sort of a life’s pursuit.”</p>
<p>            Rey had moved on to cleaning a shot gun when she looked Ben directly in the eye to call his bluff, “And the fact that they say it’s made out of pure gold makes no never mind to you?”</p>
<p>            Impressed, Ben replied, “You know your history.”</p>
<p>            “I know my treasure.” Rey snapped the shot gun closed throwing the rag down on the table.</p>
<p>            Ben had been dying to ask Rey about their kiss that was briefly shared at the Cairo prison. He couldn’t stop thinking about the soft smooth texture of her lips and the spark that had flowed through them, even just for a moments. With found courage after the comfortable silence of their enjoyable conversation Ben asked, “By the way, why did you kiss me?” The reply he got was far from the one he was hoping for.</p>
<p>            Rey laughed while she cleaned another gun, “Who knows? I was about to be hanged. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”</p>
<p>            Her complete disregard of his feelings hurt, as Ben scoffed and walked away. It was clear that Ms. O’Connell had no feelings for him and that this was simply her repaying the debt of him saving her life. Angry and a bit heartbroken, Ben returned to his cabin to focus on their mission ahead and to forget about the girl with green eyes and soft lips. Before he returned, he stopped to pet one of the horses tied in a make shift pen on the deck.</p>
<p>            “What? What’d I say?” Rey asked as Ben walked away. She was confused why Ben was upset. Surly he would never fall for a woman like her. A criminal. An orphan. A nobody. Before she could contemplate the meaning behind Ben’s anger, Rey heard a rustling noise come from behind the cargo on the deck. She saw a shadow of man’s head on the wall as she walked closer to investigate the disturbance. When she reached her destination, pulling the fiend from behind the cargo, Rey stood face to face with Armitage Hux.</p>
<p>            “Surprise! My good friend, you’re alive!” Hux said in fear, “I was so very, very worried.”</p>
<p>            “Well, if it ain’t my little buddy, Hux.” Rey said pointing the pistol at Hux’s heart, “I think I’ll kill you.”</p>
<p>            “Think of my children.” Hux begged.</p>
<p>            “You don’t have any children.” Rey said</p>
<p>            “Someday I might” Hux replied.</p>
<p>            “Shut up!” Rey continued to waive the gun at Hux, “So you’re the one who is leading the Brits to Hamunaptra. What’s the scam, Hux? You take them out into the middle of the desert, and then you leave them to rot?”</p>
<p>            “Unfortunately, no. These Brits are smart. They pay me half now and the other half when I get them back to Cairo. So this time I must go all the way.” Hux said.</p>
<p>            “Them’s the breaks, huh?” Rey said returning the gun back to her holster.</p>
<p>            “You never believed in Hamunaptra, O’Connell. Why are you going back?” Hux said.</p>
<p>            Rey pointed towards Ben who was still petting the horse and said, “See that man, he saved my neck.”</p>
<p>            Sensing that he was being watched, Ben made brief eye contact with Rey and walked back to his room.</p>
<p>            “You always did think more with your heart than your brains, O’Connell. Attachment will be your undoing.” Hux said.</p>
<p>            Rey and Hux shared a brief laugh before Rey turned serious, “Good-bye, Hux.” Grabbing him by his jacket, Rey threw Hux over the side of the boat, letting the man that betrayed her swim for his life in the Nile. Turning to collect her weapons, Rey noticed wet foot prints leading into the same direction as Ben. She followed them, hoping that Ben was safe and that she was just being paranoid.</p>
<p>            Back in his estate room, Ben was attempting to read and study while preparing for bed. He was only half successful as his mind kept wandering to thoughts of Rey. The woman had enchanted him, which was frustrating as she clearly did not return his feelings.</p>
<p>            “Oh for god’s sake man it wasn’t that good of a kiss anyway.” He tried to calm himself by splashing some cold water on his face. After toweling off, he closed the vanity mirror to find a man dressed in black standing behind him. He was older, with tattoos on his face and a hook for his right hand. Ben went to scream for help, but the man pointed the hook along his neck, silencing him as he gasped in shock.</p>
<p>            “Where is the map?” the man asked.</p>
<p>            Ben nodded towards the table in reply.</p>
<p>            “And the key?”</p>
<p>            “Key? What key?” Ben asked.</p>
<p>            Before anymore harm could come to Ben, Rey busted through the door with two pistols in each hand. She called out to Ben, making the man in black come from behind and hold his hook tighter across Ben’s throat. Off to the side, one of the windows opened revealing another man dressed similarly to the one that was interrogating Ben. That man drew pistols aiming towards Rey. She fired on the man in the window first, causing him to drop, then returned her attention back to the man holding Ben hostage. Ben, smart as ever, grabbed a candle and jabbed it into the man’s eye causing the man to cry out in pain and release him. Ben ran over to Rey and hid behind her.</p>
<p>            In all the ruckuss the candle landed on the couch, setting the room and consequently the entire boat, on fire. Ben and Rey ran out of the room, Rey still returning fire as several more men showed up, presumably after the map to Hamunaptra. Ben began running down the hallway when he stopped and turned around, “The map! The map! I forgot the map!”</p>
<p>            Rey stopped him, by grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the door at the same time she was reloading one of her pistols. “Relax. I’m the map. It’s all up here.” She said pointing to her head.</p>
<p>            “Oh, that’s comforting.” Ben said sarcastically.</p>
<p>            The fire continued to spread consuming the boat as people panicked. Back in the Ben’s state room, Mikata clutched his eye in pain. He looked down at the floor searching amongst the flames and mess for the key. It lay there closed, ready for the taking. Suddenly, Poe came crashing into the room looking for Ben. As he called out for his brother, he ran right into Mikata pushing him back into the fire. Poe saw the puzzle box on the ground, lunging for it, but quickly pulled back as Mikata recovered from his fall, snatching the box into his usable hand. He chased Poe out of the room and onto the deck.</p>
<p>            As people continued to throw supplies and horses into the river to be saved form the fire, Rey and Ben emerged out on the deck into the middle of the chaos. Rey grabbed her bag of weapons where she left it on the table from earlier. “Hold this.” She instructed Ben as she threw the bag into his arms. Rey was just starting to load her weapon and come around the corner to the main part of the deck when gun fire stopped their assent.</p>
<p>            Slowly backing up to avoid being shot, bullet holes filled the side of the wall as they got closer and closer to Rey and Ben. Ben noticed the trail and grabbed Rey’s arm to save her from the last bullet that would have hit her. Slightly shaken and pissed off from the encounter, Rey charged out with two pistols in hand and began shooting at the men in black robes in various locations on the deck. Ben trailed behind Rey when she sudden stopped by the rail.</p>
<p>            “Can you swim?” She asked him.</p>
<p>            “Of course I can swim, if the occasion calls for it.” Ben yelled back annoyed by the absurdity of the question. Why would Rey be asking if he can swim when they were clearly fighting for their lives?</p>
<p>            “Trust me, it calls for it.” Rey said as she pushed Ben over the rail and into the Nile River. She was just about to join him when a man in black robes climbed up and pushed Rey back onto the deck. He started to punch Rey, stunning her for a moment. She felt the man’s hands close around her neck as the man attempted to strangle her. Fueled by her anger, she broke the strangle hold and began punching the man back, kicking him through a door that suddenly caught on fire. With the man burning alive behind her, Rey turned to resume abandoning the ship when she was stopped by Unkar Plutt in a panic.</p>
<p>            “O’Connell! O’Connell! What are we going to do, what are we going to do?” Unkar frantically asked.</p>
<p>            “Wait here! I’ll go get help!” Rey said, grabbing her bag of weapons and jumping over the side of the rail into the river.</p>
<p>            After realizing he had been tricked, Unkar yelled profusely in Arabic before following pursuit.</p>
<p>            Back on the deck, Poe had finally escaped from the man chasing him, when he saw that the Brits and the boat saboteurs locked in a western style shoot out. “Uncivilied,” he said to himself. Suddenly, the man that was chasing Poe emerged, running right towards him on fire! Henderson took his weapon and fired repeatedly at the man in black on fire. Poe narrowly avoided him, the momentum of the run causing Mikata to fall over the rail and into the water.</p>
<p>            “I say, bloody good show, chaps!” Poe said as he put his explorers’ hat on. “And did I panic? I think not.” Throwing the box up into the air and then catching it as the fire was continuing to engulf the boat. Poe pocketed the box and jumped into the water, quickly followed by the rest of the Brits.</p>
<p>            On one side of the river, Henderson was struggling to get the horses out of the water. The Brits and their guide, Hux were pulling as much supplies as they could, salvaging after the wreck.</p>
<p>            On the other side, Ben, Rey, and Poe were walking out of the river with hardly anything but the clothes on their backs.</p>
<p>            “We’ve lost everything! All our tools, all the equipment! All my clothes.” Ben complained. Suddenly the three turned toward a very pleased Hux shouting at them from across the river.</p>
<p>            “Hey! O’Connell! It looks to me like I’ve got all the horses!” Hux gloated.</p>
<p>            “Hey, Hux! Looks to be like you’re on the wrong side of the river!” Rey gloated back at Hux’s ignorance.</p>
<p>            Hux looked around momentarily, realizing Rey was right. He kicked the water, cursing his bad luck. The trio made camp for the night as they would need to visit a town tomorrow to try and restock their supplies that was lost to the river or stolen by the Brits.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Hamunaptra Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rey, Poe, Ben, and Unkar travel and find Hamunaptra. It's a long one! Enjoy the tension!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The next morning, Poe and Rey were trying to procure some camels for their journey across the desert. Poe was arguing with the seller over some disagreement in the number of camels to purchase, when Rey finally yelled at Poe to just pay the man. Poe pulled out his wallet and gave the man a few notes yelling about his dissatisfaction and the price.</p>
<p>   “You probably could have got them for free. All we had to do was have Ben marry his daughter.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “Yes. Awfully tempting, wasn’t it?” Poe joked, pulling two of the camels towards Ben and Unkar Plutt.</p>
<p>   Rey saw Ben, freshly dressed in a black tunic and pants. He looked absolutely regal, his eyes sparkling in the Sahara sun as the winds lightly blew his hair out of his handsome face.</p>
<p>   “Awfully.” Rey replied to Poe’s comment. She brought one of her camels over to Ben and helped him to mount it. Once the entire crew was situated, they began their trek across the desert.</p>
<p>   The heat was indescribable. It was so dense, but was slowly fading with the sinking sun as day turned into night.</p>
<p>   “I never did like camels.” Poe complained. “Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit.”</p>
<p>   Behind him Unkar hocked a nasty luggie while Ben said, “I think they are adorable” as he scratched the head of the camel he was riding.</p>
<p>   Through the elements, they did not stop and kept going long into the night. Exhausted, Ben fell asleep sitting up, leaning and almost falling off of his camel. Rey grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back up, watching him, protecting him. Rey’s camel began to growl, so Rey shushed him to be quiet to allow Ben to sleep. A little further behind them, Unkar Plutt began to snore loudly, waking Poe up. Poe took his stick and slapped Unkar in the face with it, then pretended to be asleep again when Unkar woke up.</p>
<p>   Up on the cliff, Finn and the Medjay were watching the four as they continued their procession through the desert. “This one is strong.” He said to no one in particular.</p>
<p>   As the sun was just rising the next day, Ben, Rey, Poe, and Unkar were met by Hux and the rest of the British crew. The two parties lined up and waited as the sun rose over the horizon. When Henderson spoke, “Remember our bet, O’Connell. First one to the city, 500 cash bucks.”</p>
<p>   “A hundred of them bucks is yours if you help us win that bet.” Daniels addressed to Hux.</p>
<p>   “Oh, my pleasure.” Hux replied back sarcastically. He turned to Rey, “Hey O’Connell. Nice camel.”</p>
<p>   Rey just smiled and patter her camel on the head. She looked out into the horizon. It was nearly time. “Get ready.” She addressed to her team.</p>
<p>   “For what?” Ben asked.</p>
<p>   “We’re about to be shown the way.” Rey replied as the sun rose higher into the sky. The sand seemed to dance, revealing a hidden path that was not there before. Everyone watched in awe as the lost city of Hamunaptra was revealed to them.</p>
<p>   “Will you look at that.” Henderson exclaimed.</p>
<p>   “Can you believe it?” asked Daniels.</p>
<p>   “Hamunaptra!” Burns whispered in excitement.</p>
<p>   “Here we go again.” Rey tiredly said.</p>
<p>   With the city in full view, Hux and Rey shouted, pushing their animals forward starting the race towards to whom would claim the city first. The others quickly followed pursuit, Ben just slightly behind Rey as she and Hux were neck in neck for the first spot.</p>
<p>   Hux begin hitting Rey with his stick to try and push her off her camel. Trying to fight the pain in her left arm, Rey finally grabbed the stick from Hux pulling him off of his camel in the process. “So long, Hux.” She said.</p>
<p>   As Ben passed a thrown and in pain Hux on the grown he yelled, “That serves you right.” Before catching up to Rey in the leader’s position. Ben keep encouraging his camel forward, the smile on his face wide as the thrill of the race was causing adrenaline.</p>
<p>   Rey watched in awe as Ben’s camel howled, bolting forward towards the city, causing Ben to be the first to enter Hamunaptra. She could hear Poe shouting encouragement from the back, “Go, Ben! Go!”</p>
<p>   The rest of the day was spent by the crews setting up their sites and digging down into the city so that they could explore the chambers below. On one side, the Brits had claimed a temple entrance that was blocked by rocks. The workers were removing the stones in an assembly line procession while the doctor gave orders under his umbrella. On the opposite side of the city, Ben had grabbed a mirror that was laying in the sand as he tried to clean it and set it up so that the rays of sunlight would be caught.</p>
<p>   “Do they know something that we don’t?” Henderson asked the doctor.</p>
<p>   “What do they know? They are led by a librarian.” The doctor replied.</p>
<p>   Ben was leading the crew around the site, “That is the statue of Anubis. Its legs go deep underground. According to Bembridge scholars, that’s where we’ll find a secret compartment containing the golden Book of Amun-Ra.”</p>
<p>   Ben looked over at Poe who was cleaning a second mirror when he said, “Poe, you are meant to catch he sun with that.”</p>
<p>   Rey had finished her task of setting up a climbing rope for the crew to be able to enter the chamber when she came over to Ben and asked, “So, what are those old mirrors for?”</p>
<p>   “Ancient Mirrors,” Ben gently corrected, “It’s an ancient Egyptian trick. You’ll see.”</p>
<p>   From behind her back, Rey pulled out a present for Ben, “ah, Here, this is for you.” She said as she handed the gift to Ben. “Go ahead. It’s something I borrowed off our British brethren. I thought you might like it, you might need it for when you’re…yeah.” She said making the motions of an archeologist uncovering something. Unkar gave her a weird look when she looked right back at him, “What are you looking at?” Unkar put his hands up in mock solute as Rey walked away from Ben, hoping he liked her gift.</p>
<p>   Ben unwrapped the cloth to reveal a tool kit, perfect for the expedition. Smiling to himself, he looked over at Rey who was watching him unwrap the gift she had given him. Ben hoped his eyes conveyed the happiness and gratitude he felt towards Rey as she descended into the chamber below.</p>
<p>   “Hey, look for bugs. I hate bugs.” Unkar said before following the rest down the rope into the chamber.</p>
<p>   Standing next to Rey, Ben said, “Do you realize that we are standing in a room that no one has entered for over three thousand years?”</p>
<p>   “Whoa, what is that god-awful stench?” Poe asked to no one in particular. He scanned the room, searching for the offender, only to find the smell was coming from Unkar. “Never mind,” Poe said.</p>
<p>   Ben found the main mirror that would catch the rays of sunlight form the surface and light the room. “And then there was light,” he said as he cleaned and turned the mirror up. The light refracted, bouncing off of numerous mirrors throughout the chamber lighting it.</p>
<p>   “Hey, that is a neat trick.” Rey said clearly impressed with Ben. </p>
<p>   Please that he had impressed Rey, Ben took a quick look around the room realizing where they were standing. “Oh, my God. It’s a Sah-netjer.” He said.</p>
<p>   “A what?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   “A preparation room.” Ben replied.</p>
<p>   “Preparation for what?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   “For entering the afterlife,” Ben said with a mildly teasing eerie tone and a giddy expression on his face.</p>
<p>   “Mummies, my dear. This is where they made the mummies.” Poe supplied as he took a torch to light from the one Rey was currently carrying. The four started down a hallway covered in cobwebs with Rey in the lead, Ben right behind her followed by Poe then Unkar. Suddenly above them was a rattling noise that neither could pin point.</p>
<p>   “What was that?” Poe asked.</p>
<p>   “Sounds like bugs.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “She said bugs.” Ben whispered to Unkar.</p>
<p>   “What do you mean bugs? I hate bugs!” Unkar said, frightened, yet he continued to follow the crew through the tunnel.</p>
<p>   Rey was cautious with each step, not wanting to set off any ancient booby traps. As they rounded the corner and came into a hallway, there was giant black statue of legs just before them.</p>
<p>   “The legs of Anubis,” supplied Ben to answer the confused look on Rey’s face. “The secret compartment should be hidden somewhere inside here.”</p>
<p>   Suddenly, all four jumped to the sound of moaning that filled the hallway. Looking around, yet not finding the source, Rey and Poe drew their weapons walking around the statue only to come face to face with the British crew who shouted in surprise.</p>
<p>   “Scared the bejuses out of us, O’Connell.” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   “Likewise,” Rey said. All parties lowered their weapons.</p>
<p>   “Hey that’s my tool kit!” Burns accused Ben of having.</p>
<p>   “No, I don’t think so.” Said Rey as she pointed her gun in Burns’s face.</p>
<p>   “Okay, Perhaps I was mistaken.” Burns said as he retreated back, the guns once again lowering for a second time.</p>
<p>   “Well, have a nice day, gentlemen. We have a lot of work to be getting along with.” Ben said.</p>
<p>   “Push off! This is our dig site.” The doctor said.</p>
<p>   “We got here first!” Ben shouted back. And once again, the guns were back in the air and pointed towards one another, ready for a show down.</p>
<p>   “This here is our statue.” Daniels said.</p>
<p>   “I don’t see your name written on it, pal.” Rey said, cocking her gun.</p>
<p>   “Yes, well, there is only four of you and fifteen of me. Your odds are not so great, O’Connell.” Said Hux.</p>
<p>   “I’ve had worse.” Rey said. Meanwhile, Ben was pushing rocks down a crack, realizing that there was another chamber down below the legs. If they could find where the statue and the wall would meet, they could open the secret compartment from underneath the Brits and take the book without them realizing it.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, me, too.” Poe said. Rey gave him a look wondering what the heck he was doing. Poe just shrugged back when Ben came to stand in the middle of the standoff.</p>
<p>   “Oh, look, for goodness’ sake, let’s be nice, children. If we are going to play together, we must learn to share.” He turned to Rey and said, “There are other places to dig.” Hoping that she would understand his meaning.</p>
<p>   Rey shared a brief moment with Ben before lowering her weapon and retreating down the hallway they came through.</p>
<p>   Once they were in the hallway under the statue, Poe and Ben set up boxes to be able to reach the ceiling. Rey stood in the center with a sludges hammer as she began pounding away at the ceiling.</p>
<p>   “According to these hieroglyphics, we’re underneath the statue. We should come up right between his legs.” Ben said with confidence.</p>
<p>   “When those damn Tories go to sleep… no offense.” Poe said to Rey.</p>
<p>   “None taken.” Said Rey as she continued to pound at the ceiling.</p>
<p>   “We’ll dig our way up and steal that book! Right out form under them.” Poe said.</p>
<p>   “Are you sure we can find this secret compartment?” Rey asked, handing the sludge hammer back to Poe and trading it for an Ax pick.</p>
<p>   “Oh, yes, if those beastly Brits haven’t beaten us to it. No offense.” Ben said.</p>
<p>   “None taken.” Rey grunted as she tried to pull the rock apart with the pick.</p>
<p>   “Hey, where did our smelly little friend go?” Poe suddenly asked. He and Rey looked down the hallway, but could not see where Unkar Plutt had wandered off to.</p>
<p>___________________</p>
<p>   In a hallway not far from the group, Unkar Plutt had gone searching for the treasure chamber. He was crawling on his hands and knees with a torch in one hand looking for the gold he was so thoroughly promised.</p>
<p>   “What have we here?” he said to no one in particular as he came across a painting of a man with blue gold scarab jewels all along its body. “Blue gold? This will fetch a pretty fine price.”</p>
<p>   Unkar took a pocket knife and began peeling the jewels off the wall. Once he was satisfied with the number he had collected, he began walking away when he felt a sharp pain in his right foot. The pain traveled up his leg, moving at an unbelievable pace. He screamed, not knowing what to do or how to stop it.</p>
<p>   The pain continued under his skin all up his body. He ripped open his shirt to see a little bump moving in his chest towards his head. He tried to grab it, but failed. With no other option, he began to run, clutching his head screaming for help.</p>
<p>_________________</p>
<p>   Back at the statue of Anubis, Henderson had a crow bar in hand ready to open the secret compartment and claim his treasure, “Let’s get us some treasure!” he shouted.</p>
<p>   “Careful!” the doctor wared stopping Henderson from his conquest, “Seti was no fool. I think perhaps we should let the diggers open it.” The doctor pointed to the small group of workers that were standing just off to the side.</p>
<p>   “Oh, I think we should listen to the good doctor Henderson.” Burns said.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, sure. Let them open it.” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   The doctor called three of the workers over, supplying them with crow bars as they set about opening the secret compartment inside the statue of Anubis. As the door became loose, and ancient booby trap was set off. Pressured rock salt acid sprayed the workers, melting their skin as they lay on the chamber floor dying.</p>
<p>_________________</p>
<p>   “So, let me get this straight, they take out your major organs and stuff them in jars?” Rey asked Ben as they sat, taking a break from attempting to open the statue.</p>
<p>   Ben nodded, “and they take out your heart as well. Oh! You know how they took out your brains?”</p>
<p>   “Ben, I don’t think we need to know this,” Poe said as he was using the sledge hammer like a golf driver, hitting loose rocks towards the end of the hallway.</p>
<p>   Ignoring Poe, Ben continued, “They’d take a sharp, red-hot piker, stick it up your nose, scramble things about a bit, and then rip it all out through your nostrils.” He illustrated his point by using one of the chisels from his tool kit.</p>
<p>   Rey sucked in a deep breath, “That’s got to hurt.” She said self-consciously grabbing her nose.</p>
<p>   “It’s called mummification. You would be dead when they do this.” Ben explained.</p>
<p>   "For the record, If I don’t make it out of here, don’t put me down for mummification.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “Likewise.” Poe said taking a large swing. He hit the side of the wall causing a large sarcophagus to fall from ceiling right in front of Rey and Ben.</p>
<p>   “Oh, my God. It’s a sarcophagus. Buried at the base of Anubis. He must have been someone of great importance. Or he did something very naughty.” Ben said as a look of fear passed between himself and Rey.</p>
<p>   Rey handed Ben his tool kit as they started to clear the dirt away from the hieroglyphics carved on the lid of the sarcophagus.</p>
<p>   “Well, who is it?” Poe asked.</p>
<p>   Ben lightly brushed the outside of a square when he said, “He That Shall Not Be Named.”</p>
<p>   Rey blew on the square some more revealing an indent of some sort of key hole, “This looks like some sort of lock.” She said.</p>
<p>   “Well, whosever’s in here sure wasn’t getting out.” Poe said.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, no kidding.” Said Rey, “It’ll take us a month to crack into this thing without a key.”</p>
<p>   The wheels in Ben’s head started to turn. “A key…A key! A key! That’s what he was talking about!” He turned around and reached into the bag where the box was being kept.</p>
<p>   “Who was talking about what?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   “The man! The Man on the barge, with the hook, he was asking about some sort of key.” Ben said as he opened the box into the star like pattern that it forms.</p>
<p>   “Hey, that’s mine.” Poe said pointing at the box in Ben’s hand.</p>
<p>   Ben rolled his eyes at his brother as he placed the box over the lock that Rey had revealed. It was a perfect fit. Ben smiled down at Rey, very pleased with the connection he made when they were interrupted by the screaming wails of Unkar Plutts. Rey drew her gun and ran out into the hallway to be greeted by Unkar holding his head, screaming.</p>
<p>   Ben was right behind Rey, followed shortly by Poe as he grabbed the key off the sarcophagus. The three watched as Unkar ran past them right into the wall at the end of the hallway. His head collided with the stone, killing him instantly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Attack on Hamunaptra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Okay, this is where I deviated quite a bit from the story because a good Reylo story needs some smut! lol </p><p>So Smut ahead. You have been warned. </p><p>Also, kind of cringing because I've never written smut before and I'm worried it's not very good. If anyone has a smut writing boot camp, please sign me up!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Night eventually fell over the camp and the crews needed to rest and recover from the strange events that had taken place. Ben and Poe were sitting around the fire while Rey went to investigate what happened with the British crew.</p><p>   “What do you supposed killed him?” Ben asked Poe.</p><p>   “Did you ever see him eat?” Poe asked Ben.</p><p>   Rey returned to their camp, setting her riffle down as she took her place next to Ben by the fire. “Seems our British friends had a little misfortune of their own today. Three of their diggers were melted.”</p><p>   “What?” Ben said in disbelief.</p><p>   “How?” Poe asked.</p><p>   “Salt acid. Pressurized salt acid. Some kind of ancient booby trap.” Rey explained.</p><p>   “Maybe this place really is cursed.” Poe said as he threw some dirt into the fire. The wind began to howl, almost putting the fire out. The three exchanged a brief look of fear when Ben put a stop to their spooky nonsense.</p><p>   “Oh, for goodness’ sake, you two!” he said.</p><p>   “You don’t believe in curses?” Rey asked.</p><p>   “No, I don’t. I believe if I can see it and I can touch it, then it’s real. That’s what I believe.” Ben said.</p><p>   “I believe in being prepared.” Rey said as she tended to the fire. She picked up her shot gun and cocked it, startling Ben.</p><p>   Poe reached over to Unkar’s bag saying, “Let’s see what our friend the warden believed in.” as he dug through its contents.</p><p>   Suddenly, Poe cried out in pain causing Ben and Rey to scream and jump. “My god, what is it?” asked Ben.</p><p>   “A broken bottle.” Poe replied, “Glenlivet, 12 years old! Well, he may have been a stinky fellow, but he had good taste.” Poe uncorked the bottle and began drinking.</p><p>   Smiling at his brother, Ben went to say something to Rey when the horses began whining in the background. Rey turned, gripping her shot gun tighter. She gave it to Ben telling him to take it and to stay put as she went to investigate.</p><p>   “No, wait, wait! Wait for me!” Ben said, getting up and following Rey with the shot gun.</p><p>   “Ben! Excuse me, but didn’t the girl just say to stay here?” Poe said grabbing the bottle of alcohol and chased after his brother.</p><p>   The Medjay stormed the camp shooting at the trespassers. The doctor ran to Henderson’s tent telling the British crew to wake up and grab their weapons. Together along with Rey’s vantage point, they began taking out the Medjay. Ben was scanning the scene, clutching the shot gun when he was suddenly ambushed from behind. He screamed out in pain. Falling back, he set the shot gun off, killing the Medjay that hurt him.</p><p>   Poe was hiding behind a rather large stone, very much intoxicated by the alcohol as he slowly shot off his pistol at the intruders. From behind him, Hux ran up and grabbed the bottle out of Poe’s hands taking a nice, long swig of the drink. Hux heard screaming in Arabic as he turned and saw a Medjay solider, Finn, charging towards the two men on horse back. He spit the alcohol into Poe’s face, temporarily blinding him. After setting the bottle down on the stone, Hux bolted, followed shortly by Poe with the bottle of alcohol not forgotten.</p><p>   “O’Connell,” Poe shouted as he ran towards Rey and Ben. Rey jumped down form the wall she was standing on and dismounted Finn from his horse. The two engaged in hand-to-hand combat as they took turns disarming each other. Rey ducked and rolled behind her lighting a dynamite from the small fire close to her. She held it out for the Finn to see.</p><p>   Recognizing the battle was lost, Finn called out to his troops, “Enough. We will shed no more blood. But you must leave. Leave this place or die. You have one day.” With that the Medjay retreated.</p><p>   Rey pulled the wick from the dynamite, making the explosive mute, when she noticed that Ben was on the ground hurt. She walked over, softly whispering his same as she removed the rifle from his grip. Gently grabbing his head, she pulled him up to a standing position so that she could take them back to their camp and wrap his arm.</p><p>   “Are you alright?” Ben asked as he took his good hand gently examined Rey’s face for marks. His fingers caressed her cheeks and chin, causing Rey to slightly loose her balance and fall a little bit into Ben’s chest.</p><p>   “Yes, I’m find. Thank you.” She breathlessly said. Ben’s touch was distracting her, the gentle caresses across her cheek had caused a fire to burn behind her eyes. She could have sworn she saw the same one burning behind Ben’s eyes when Burns broke the moment.</p><p>   “That proves it. Old Seti’s fortunes got to be under this sand. For them to protect it like this you know there’s treasure down there.” Burns said.</p><p>   “No, these men are desert people. They value water, not gold.” Rey said, maybe clutching Ben’s suspenders just a little tighter, not wanting to part from his embrace.</p><p>   That was when Burns came over, his glasses falling off his face and his face half covered in shaving cream, “You know, maybe just at night, we could combine forces?” he suggested.</p><p>   After coming to a truce, the parties separated. Poe was asleep, clutching the alcohol under his arm, while Rey continued to address Ben’s wound. She had removed his shirt and was staring directly at his ripped chest. His abs were well defined and he looked absolutely stunning. No man had ever had that kind of effect on Rey before.</p><p>   Composing herself, she disinfected his wound and was now wrapping it with gaze from the med kit of their supplies, “You know you were very brave tonight.” She said to him, not moving her gaze from the task in front of her.</p><p>   “You believe so?” Ben asked stunned. He winced in pain as Rey finished tying off the gauze.</p><p>   “Sorry,” she said, “Here, let’s get you another drink. It will numb the pain.” She went to remove the bottle from Poe, when Ben stopped her with his good arm.</p><p>   “Unlike my brother, my dear, I know when to say no.” Ben had already had a number of drinks prior and after the raid upon the campsites. He wanted to be a bit more alert for what the liquid courage was possessing him to do.</p><p>   “And unlike your brother, sir, you, I just don’t get.” Rey said as Ben leaned closer, placing a hand upon her cheek.</p><p>   “I know. You’re wondering whether I belong here. What an old book worm and librarian is doing in a dangerous place like this.” Ben said.</p><p>   “Something like that.” Rey replied. She was going to place her hand over Ben’s, when he suddenly pulled it back. He pulled out a pocket watch that had a picture of two people inside, a man and a woman. He handed it to Rey and placed it into her hands.</p><p>   “Egypt is in my blood. My father was a famous explorer and my mother was descendant from Egyptian royalty.” He explained as he showed Rey the picture.</p><p>   “I get your mother and I get your father.” Rey said closing the pocket watch and handing it back to Ben. “I get Poe. But I don’t get you. What are you doing here?” She asked.</p><p>   Rey wished she could have taken her question back as Ben looked hurt by her accusation. “Look, I may not be an explorer or an adventurer or a treasure seek or a gun fighter, Ms. O’Connell, but I am proud of what I am.” Ben concluded.</p><p>   “And what is that?” Rey asked. She turned her body closer to Ben so that she was almost in his lap, staring directly into his eyes.</p><p>   “I am a library.” Ben proudly exclaimed with a goofy, crooked grin that spread across his entire face. The look made Rey’s heart melt. What she didn’t prepare for was Ben’s enormous hands to cup her face forcing her to not turn away from him. “And now, Ms. O’Connell, I am going to kiss you.” He declared breathlessly.</p><p>   Before his lips could crash into hers, Rey said, “Call me Rey.” His lips were even better than Rey remembered as his ministrations took the breath right out of Rey’s lungs. It was unbelievable to her that this gentle giant, and intelligent man wanted her. For as long as she could remember, she was never worth anyone’s time. Always a scavenger, fighting for a home, for food, or even a sense of security. But Ben’s touch made her believe she was wanted, possibly even loved.</p><p>   Ben pulled back only an inch to whisper her name like a content prayer. He was going to pull her closer and continue kissing her when she stopped him grabbing his hands. Rey took both of them in hers and pulled him up, taking him to her tent.</p><p>            With the flap closed behind them Rey turned around to face him, “I don’t want you to regret this in the morning, Ben.”</p><p>            “Never.” Ben said with such conviction it made Rey almost cry. She surged forward and reclaimed Ben’s lips. Trying not to put weight on the bad arm, Ben kissed her with every ounce of passion he had in him, pushing her back towards the cloth on the sand that made up her bed. “Please, let me touch you, Rey.” Ben pleaded, whispering her name in such a loving manner.</p><p>            Rey couldn’t even reply. She just nodded, going for Ben’s trousers to try and remove the offending layers.</p><p>            Once removed, Ben leaned back on his knees, breaking the kisses he was sharing with Rey so that he could remove her shirt. After pulling it over her head, he attempted to try and remove her breast brand when she stopped him. “Allow me,” she said slowly unwrapping the cloth till her small but perk breast were bare and present for Ben to see.</p><p>            “Beautiful, absolutely Beautiful.” Ben whispered as he surged forward to claim a dark pink nipple into his mouth.</p><p>            Rey gasped, moaning his name as Ben swirled his tongue a few times around her nipple before he gave a pop and released it. “You have to be quiet my dear. We don’t want to wake Poe up.”</p><p>            “Sorry, I was just surprised is all. No one has ever touched me like that before.” Rey admitted.</p><p>            Ben shushed her caressing her cheek again, “Never apologize for how you feel, Rey.”</p><p>            Rey brought his face back down towards her mouth as they continued kissing. She forced his mouth to open so that she should slide her tongue inside and truly taste him. It was Ben’s turn this time to moan loudly for which Rey merely laughed.</p><p>            “Were we not just saying we had to be quiet?” Rey teased. She lifted her hips up to grind against Ben’s already hard erection.</p><p>            “Fuck, Rey.” He said as he felt his cock twitch by the pressure she was applying alone.</p><p>            “Patience, Ben. We will get there.” Rey lay completely bare under Ben. For just a brief moment, Ben wanted to clarify that this was what Rey wanted. Seeing the question in his eyes, Rey simply nodded for Ben to continue as he positioned himself over Rey.</p><p>            Rey was already so wet that he hardly needed to prepare her. She wrapped her legs around Ben’s waist as he came down and slipped in between her folds. Not looking away from her emerald eyes, Ben pushed in causing Rey to gasp in surprise by this width.</p><p>            Ben waited a moment to allow Rey to adjust. He kissed her nose, her checks, and eventually her mouth. In between those kisses he whispered, “Not even all the stars of Egypt compare to the light of your eyes, Rey.”</p><p>            He could see tears forming in her eyes as she whispered, “You can move, Ben.” He was about to ask what was wrong, when the last of his resolve crumbled as she whispered, “Please.”</p><p>            Ben began his trust in and out, slowly at first, but his speed quickly picked up as he felt Rey tightening around him. He wanted them to cum together. Wanted to feel her come undone around his cock so beautifully.</p><p>            “I’m so close, Ben. Please don’t stop.” She begged. Oh, and what that did to him. He brought his good arm over to furiously rub her clit, causing her to moan and chant his name.</p><p>            Ben leaned down to whisper in her ear, “come for me, Rey. Let me hear you.”</p><p>            If that wasn’t Rey’s undoing, then nothing every will be. Her orgasm washed over her, the warmth spreading not only through her lower body, but well up into her heart as she felt the love Ben had for her. <em>Love? Where did that come from?</em></p><p>She was so caught up in her own emotion that she didn’t feel Ben finish inside her. Their breathing in the tent was tick and heavy, sweat glinting along their bodies as the evidence of their love making was showing after the fact. Ben gently rolled off of her so as not to crush her, then placed an arm around her waist. He rolled her over onto her side so that she could face him. Tears were running down her cheeks. Alarmed, Ben took his hand and tried to wipe them from her eyes and face when he asked, “What’s wrong, Rey.”</p><p>            She shook her head and refused to answer. How could she open her heart to this almost complete stranger? Surly, he would leave like everyone else in her life did. Rey was meant to be alone. She could not have anyone hurt her again. Ever.</p><p>            “I’m sorry If I wasn’t… any good.” Ben said again. “I’ve only been with one other woman and it had been many years…” He tried to explain, but Rey cut him off.</p><p>            “God, no, Ben. That’s not it at all. You are amazing. I’ve never felt so full and…” she trailed off not wanting to admit how deeply she felt by their actions.</p><p>            “Full and what, Rey? Please tell me.” Ben begged.</p><p>            Rey hesitated for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she explained, “All my life I have been alone. My parents left me at an orphanage in Cairo and never came back for me. I’ve had nothing. I am nothing. I’ve always been so alone, and for the first time, with you, I felt loved.” The tears started to flow more freely now. Ben took his hand and continued to clean them from her cheeks.</p><p>            He leaned down and kissed the spots where they had stained, whispering against her lips, “You are not alone.” Before reclaiming them.</p><p>            When they broke apart Rey looked up at him and whispered, “Neither are you.” She placed both her hands on either side of his face and stared at this wonderful man whom not only saved her life, but possessed some form of love for her. She saw the truth of it in his eyes.</p><p>            “You know, Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of Love. She was said to be very beautiful. Many women came and offered blessings at her temple for various reasons, but Rey. You possess a beauty and strength that far outweighs that of Hathor.” Ben confessed. “It was those qualities that made me fall in love with you.”</p><p>            Taken by exhaustion, Ben tugged Rey right into his chest as he drifted off to sleep with her in his arms.</p><p>            His confession meant everything to Rey, and for the first time in a long time, she felt as if there was hope in her life again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Rise of Imhotep- Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The morning after and the awakening of a certain mummy... Oh boy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Rey woke up in Ben’s arms, the passion of the night before not forgotten. She had never felt so cared for, nor so loved in her life. Despite her better judgment, she had let Ben into her heart for he seemed to genuinely care for her. But she couldn’t stop the nagging thoughts that circled around her doubt. <em>When this is all over, will he still want me?</em></p>
<p>   She felt him stir, his arm healing from the wound that was inflicted was draped over her like a shield. He leaned down to move the hair away from her face as he gently kissed her on the forehead, “Good Morning.”</p>
<p>   “Morning,” she replied turning her face towards Ben. She leaned forward and kissed him properly on the lips. They were lost in one another for that brief moment of passion, still naked, when Poe started shouting for Rey.</p>
<p>   Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Rey replied, “I’ll be right out!” She kissed him one more time before rising to retrieve her clothes. “I’ll go out first and take Poe down into the tunnel. This should give you plenty of time to get dressed and meet us down there without him suspecting anything.”</p>
<p>   “And why would we need to hide this from my brother?” Ben asked.</p>
<p>   “Just for now,” Rey said softly placing her hand on his cheek. “Besides, don’t you have a mummy to discover, Mr. Solo?”</p>
<p>   Her cheeky smile made Ben’s heart race, “Of course we do!” Ben kissed Rey one last time before she left the tent.</p>
<p>________________</p>
<p>   With the sun rising, it was time for the work to continue. The British team brought more workers to remove the secret compartment from the statue. After placing the ordinate red box on the ground, the two workers that carried the chest ran to hide behind the rest of the crew, for fear they had angered the Gods of old.</p>
<p>    The doctor started to clean the top, reading the inscriptions. Burns tried to open the chest, but the doctor stopped him, “There is a curse upon this chest.” He warned.</p>
<p>   “Curse my ass.” Said Daniels.</p>
<p>   “Who cares?” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   “Have a care, Mr. Henderson.” The doctor replied, “In these hallowed ground, that which was set forth in ancient times is as strong today as it was then.”</p>
<p>   “We understand,” Henderson said dismissing the doctor’s warning, “What’s it say?”</p>
<p>   The doctor read the inscription out loud in Ancient Egyptian before repeating in English, “Death will come on swift wings to whomsoever opens this chest.”</p>
<p>   A violent gust of wind suddenly blew threw the hallway, scaring the workers as they ran away from the chest that was uncovered.</p>
<p>   “We should not be here. This is not good.” Hux said.</p>
<p>   The doctor ignored Hux and continued to read the chest, “It says: ‘There is one, the undead, who, if brought back to life is bound by sacred law to consummate this curse.’”</p>
<p>   “Let’s make sure we don’t bring anyone back from the dead then.” Said Daniels.</p>
<p>   “He will kill all who open this chest and assimilate their organs and fluids, and in so doing, he will regenerate and no longer be the undead, but a plague upon this earth."</p>
<p>   “Well we didn’t come all this way for nothing.” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   “That’s right.” Said Daniels.</p>
<p>   Hux was officially freaked out by this point and started chanting, “It’s the curse. It’s the curse.” Before running away screaming like the rest of the workers.</p>
<p>   “Stupid superstitious bastard.” Said Daniels.</p>
<p>   Burns took a cloth while Henderson grabbed the other side. Together they lifted the lid to reveal the contents of the chest.</p>
<p>   Once the dust settled, the doctor bent down once more to pull the book that was wrapped in gauze form its safe keeping.</p>
<p>  “Oh my God. It does exist. The Book the Dead.” The doctor said.</p>
<p>   “A book?” Burns asked.</p>
<p>   “Who cares about a book? Where the hell’s the treasure?” Daniel asked the doctor angerly.</p>
<p>   Still in awe at the discovery of a lifetime, the doctor said, “This, gentlemen. This is treasure.”</p>
<p>   “Hell I wouldn’t trade you for a brass…” Henderson started to say as he kicked the side of the chest. One of the sides fell down to reveal yet another secret compartment.</p>
<p>   “Look at that.” Burns said.</p>
<p>   “There’s your treasure, gentlemen.” The doctor said.</p>
<p>   “Now we’re on to something.” Burns said.</p>
<p>_______________________</p>
<p>   After Ben made his way down into the chamber, where Poe and Rey were already moving the sarcophagus to a standing position, he began to feel giddy as his life’s pursuit was about to be complete.</p>
<p>   “Oh, I’ve dreamed about this since I was a child.” Ben said.</p>
<p>   “You dream about dead people?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   Ignoring her, Ben said, “Oh look the sacred spells have been chiseled off. This man must have been condemned not only in this life, but in the next.”</p>
<p>   “Tough break.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, I’m all tears.” Poe said sarcastically as he placed the key into the slot. Twisting it to the right he said, “Now, Let’s see who’s inside, shall we?”</p>
<p>   Together, Poe and Rey pulled the lid of the sarcophagus off to reveal a black, moist mummy as it leaned forward out of the coffin.</p>
<p>   Everyone screamed when the mummy popped out of the sarcophagus. Ben came over to look at the corpse closely, “Oh, my God, I hate it when these things do that.”</p>
<p>   “Is he supposed to look like that?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   “No, I’ve never seen a mummy look like this before. He’s still….Still….”</p>
<p>   “Juicy.” Poe and Rey said at the exact same time.</p>
<p>   “Yes,” Ben agreed, “He must be more than 3,000 years old, and well, it looks as if he is still decomposing.” It was indeed quite the mystery.</p>
<p>   “Hey look at that.” Rey pointed to the lid with marks scratched all along the inside, “What do you make of this?”</p>
<p>  “My God, these marks were made with fingernails. This man was buried alive. And look, he left a message. ‘Death is only the beginning.’”</p>
<p>   All three simultaneously turned their heads back up towards the corpse that still remained suspended in the sarcophagus, wondering who this man was and what he did to deserve such a cruel fate.</p>
<p>_____________________________</p>
<p>   Later that night, Ben was walking back to camp after spending hours documenting the mummy discovery. It was horrifying, but intriguing as he was trying to figure out who the man was and what he had done to deserve such torture. Weighing the scarab skeletons back and forth in his hands, he heard the doctor grunt in frustration off to the side. Ben stopped and looked over to see the doctor holding a rather large black book, the Book of the Dead.</p>
<p>            The doctor quickly composed himself after trying to open it. Ben turned back to him, smirking, “I believe you need a key to open that.” And continued back towards camp. He didn’t look long, but it looked like the same key that opened the coffin of the mummy would open the Book of the Dead. He just needed to wait till the doctor fell asleep so he could steal the book from him.</p>
<p>            Back at camp, Henderson and the rest of the gang came to gloat about their find.</p>
<p>            “Say, O’Connell. What do you think these babies will fetch back home?”</p>
<p>            “We heard you guys found yourselves a nice, gooey mummy. Congratulations.” Burns said.</p>
<p>            “You know if you dry that fellow out, you might be able to sell him for firewood.” Daniels said.</p>
<p>            “Look what I found.” Ben said coming up to the camp fire.</p>
<p>            Rey turned towards Hux who was sitting between Rey and Poe and said, “You’re in his seat.” When Hux refused to move, Rey yelled at him, “NOW!” and Hux acknowledged the threat, getting up and walking away from the fire.</p>
<p>            “Scarab skeletons, flesh-eaters. I found them inside our friend’s coffin. They can stay alive for years feasting on the flesh of a corpse. Unfortunately for our friend, he was still alive when they started eating him.” Ben explained.</p>
<p>            “So somebody threw these in with our guy and then they slowly ate him alive?” Rey asked, picking up one of the skeletons to look at it closer.</p>
<p>            “Very slowly.” Ben said.</p>
<p>            “He certainly wasn’t a popular fellow when they planted him, was he?” Poe said.</p>
<p>            “Well, he probably got a little too frisky with the pharaoh’s daughter.” Rey speculated as she shared a suggestive look with Poe. </p>
<p>            Ben chuckled lightly, “Well, according to my readings, our friend suffered the Hom-Dai, the worst of all Ancient Egyptian curses, one reserved only for the most evil of blasphemers. In all of my research, I’ve never heard of this curse having actually been performed.”</p>
<p>            “That bad, huh?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>            “Yes, well, they… They never used it because they feared it so. It’s written that if a victim of the Hom-Dai should ever arise, he would bring with him the ten plagues of Egypt.”</p>
<p>            After Ben’s ghost stories, most of the camp settled down for the night. Once he was for sure the doctor was asleep, Ben snuck over to the doctor’s bed and gently pulled the book from under his arms.</p>
<p>            Ben set the book down, careful not to get too close to the fire, and then headed over to Poe’s sack where he pulled out the key. He twisted it open when suddenly he jumped at the sound of Rey’s voice behind him.</p>
<p>            “That’s called stealing, you know.” Rey said, slightly amused.</p>
<p>            “According to you and my brother, it’s called borrowing.” Said Ben.</p>
<p>            Rey sat up and came over to watch Ben place the key into the slot when she said, “I though the Book of Amun-Ra was made out of gold?”</p>
<p>            “It is made out of gold,” Ben said, “This isn’t the Book of Amun-Ra. This is something else. I think this may be the Book of the Dead.”</p>
<p>            “The Book of the Dead?” Rey asked, “Are you sure you want to be playing around with this thing?”</p>
<p>            “It’s just a book. No harm ever came from reading a book.” Ben said making the final turn and opening the book. Wind suddenly howled, creating an eerie sound over the camp.</p>
<p>            “That happens a lot here.” Rey pointed out.</p>
<p>            Ben turned back to the book, fascinated by the hieroglyphics. Pointing at the top of the page, he began to read out loud, “Amun Ra. Amun Dei.”</p>
<p>            Rey looked over his shoulder, trying to follow along with his finder, but not understanding any of the ancient text. She rested her chin on his shoulder, a puzzled look clouding her face.</p>
<p>            “It speaks of the night and the day.” Ben said turning over to explain the text he had just read to Rey. He placed a soft kiss on her furrowed brow before continuing the inscription. Suddenly, a chill came over the camp after Ben finished the first three lines of the text. Unknown to the camp, the inscription that Ben had read aloud awoke the mummy that been buried in the sand for over 3,000 years. He and Rey looked over towards the horizon where a weird buzzing sound was getting louder and louder as it approached the camp, when they heard the doctor shouting at them in the distance.</p>
<p>            “No, you must not read from the book!” the doctor shouted. Everyone that was asleep began to rise, awaken by the chill and strange buzzing that had befallen the camp. Out in the distance, Rey could see that a fast swam of locust were descending upon the campsite that appeared to have come out of nowhere.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Rise of Imhotep- Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 2! </p>
<p>*I just wanted to drop a quick note that I am absolutely doing the sequel and it is almost done. I think I might do the third one, and I have a surprise one shot. If you want more, please subscribe to the series! Thank you everyone who has read and commented so far! You guys have been awesome!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>        “Run! Go! Go!” Rey shouted at everyone once the swarm entered the camp. Rey, Ben, Hux, Poe, Burns, Daniels, and Henderson all ran to take cover inside the ruins.</p>
<p>            The group started running deeper and deeper into the city where they had yet to explore. “Where the hell did they come from?” Burns asked.</p>
<p>            “I ain’t waiting around to find out.” Henderson replied. Burns fell on the sand, knocking the glasses right off his face. He called out for help when Hux accidently stepped on them, crushing the glass and the frame beneath his foot before continuing to run in the same direction of the group.</p>
<p>   After feeling around in the sand, Burns found his glasses and examined the broken frames. The glass was completely shattered to the point that it would do no good to try and see out of them. Putting the frames in his pocket, he continued along the hall, feeling his way towards the end of the tunnel as he shuffled his feet one in front of the other through the sand. Something behind him landed on the ground with a loud thud. He called out to see who was there in the tunnel with him, but received no reply. The creepy noises continued but then progressed to a growling, causing Burns to pull out his pistol and point it out into the space behind him despite his lack of site. He shouted at the unknown entity, but little did Burns know that there was no escaping the source. For the mummy was Imhotep. He was alive. And he was back for vengeance.</p>
<p>   Rey, Ben, and Poe had veered off down a different tunnel from Henderson and Daniels. Once they turned down the hallway, the walls and floor began to violently shake like an earthquake. Holding her pistol and the torch, Rey pointed both items towards the sand mound that was rising from the floor in front of the three. After watching it in fear and fascination, the mound broke open to reveal a hoard of scarabs searching for their next meal.</p>
<p>   Rey pushed Ben to run ahead followed by Poe while she took the back and tried to shoot the bugs as they ran. In frustration, Rey threw the torch at the oncoming hoard, but had no success in stopping them. The three were now over a bridge inside the city. All three jumped off the path and on the side to avoid the mass that was chasing them. To their surprise, the scarabs stayed on the stone bridge and did not try to follow them in their safe little alcoves. Ben accidently pushed too hard up against the wall of where he was standing and fell back into a secret tunnel away from Poe and Rey.</p>
<p>   Once the masses of scarabs were gone, Poe and Rey took quick stock of themselves to make sure they were okay before looking over to check on Ben.</p>
<p>   “Ben?” Poe and Rey shouted out, but received no reply from him. Frantic, the two began to search for Ben.</p>
<p>   Rey jumped over to where Ben was standing, closely looking at the walls. She noticed a faint outline of what appeared to be a trap door. She took the hilt of her shot gun and started hitting it to try and replicate the trigger Ben might have cause.</p>
<p>   “Damn it! It’s a trap door. There’s got to be a switch or something around here.” Rey said to Poe who too was looking and trying to illuminate the stone with his torch. Sudden from the top of the bridge, Henderson and Daniels were shouting at them to run as the scarabs had finally came back the way they had come. One of the workers fell in the run and was quickly devoured by the hoard. After watching the little beast eat the man alive, Poe and Rey ran after Henderson and Daniels. <br/><br/></p>
<p>                                    ___________________</p>
<p>   Ben had fallen down what appeared to be a secret tunnel that took him back down to the lower levels of the city. His eyes were trying to adjust to the darkness of the tunnel when he heard a distressed moaning coming from behind him. He turned around to see Mr. Burns standing there.</p>
<p>   “Oh Mr. Burns, thank goodness. I was just starting to get scared. I’ve lost everyone.” Ben said when he suddenly let out a scream at the disfigured site of Mr. Burn’s eyes missing from their sockets.</p>
<p>   “My eyes. My eyes…” Burns kept chanting. Ben continued backing away from Burns when he suddenly turned around to see the live corpse of the mummy growling at him, with Mr. Burns eyes freshly placed in his skull. Ben screamed in terror as he back away, unable to look away from the mummy he had brought back form the dead.</p>
<p>   The mummy continued to growl and follow Ben till his back hit the wall of the chamber. He was mumbling out for help, but Burns continued to crawl away saying that the mummy had taken his tongue as well. The mummy growled and got closer to Ben when it asked, “Ramesses?”</p>
<p>   Ben continued walking along the wall, not removing his eyes from the mummy. The mummy followed him, and then began to reach out his hand towards Ben. He spoke in Ancient Egyptian, but Ben understood every word thanks to his countless years of scholarship on the language.</p>
<p>   “Come with me Prince, Ramesses II.”</p>
<p>   At that moment, Rey came running up to him clearly angry that he had gotten himself separated from the group. She had her shot gun at the ready when she yelled, “There you are! Will you quit playing hide and seek and come on. Let’s get out of here.”</p>
<p>   Rey grabbed Ben’s hand but he refused to move or look away from the mummy. Rey turned to see what Ben was staring at and shouted as the mummy came closer to the pair. Behind the mummy; Poe, Henderson, and Daniels came into view of the creature all shouting at the unbelievable site before them. Poe dropped his torch as he slowly backed away from the creature.</p>
<p>   The mummy let out an ear-piercing roar at Rey and Ben, which only pissed Rey off more. She yelled right back at him and then let off a shot directly to the mummy’s stomach. She pushed Ben towards Poe and yelled at everyone to move. Once they were outside the temple, they crew faced a firing squad line of Medjay soldiers who had the doctor on his knees still holding the Book of the Dead. The lead Medjay, Finn, who told them to leave stepped forward and pulled the scarf off his face, “I told you to leave or die,” he addressed to them, “You refused. Now, you may have killed us all, for you have unleased a creature we have feared for more than 3,000 years.”</p>
<p>   “Relax, I got him.” Rey said with confidence. She refused to surrender to them despite Poe and Ben leaving their hands raised in surrender.</p>
<p>   “No mortal weapon can kill this creature. He is not of this world.” Finn said with annoyance in his voice at Rey’s arrogance. Finn reached behind him gesturing two of his servants to bring forth Burns. He was given to Henderson and Daniels who began assessing his condition in the firelight. Burns’s eyes had been completely pulled from their socket and his tongue was taken out of his mouth. Burns was moaning in pain when Daniels called Finn a bastard.</p>
<p>   “What did you do to him?” Henderson asked.</p>
<p>   “We saved him.” Finn replied “Saved him before the creature could finish his work. Leave, all of you, quickly, before he finishes you all.” Finn called out a command in Arabic releasing the firing squad to begin a search for the creature in the temple. “I must now go on a hunt and try and find a way to kill him.” He explained to the rest.</p>
<p>   “I already told you, I got him.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   Finn turned back and looked directly at Rey, “Know this, this creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, and he will never stop.” With that, Finn turned to follow his men into temple.</p>
<p>   Ben grabbed Rey’s hand. She turned to look up at him. His eyes were full of fear and concern for her, “Let’s pack up and go back to Cairo.” He said. She nodded her head, the three of them heading back to their site to pack up their things and get the hell out of that place for good.</p>
<p>_______________________</p>
<p>               Back inside the temple, Hux had long lost the crew as he continued to try and find his way out of the tunnels. He had a torch in one hand and a small pistol in the other, but what good would either of those do him if he was dead?</p>
<p>            He heard something growling around him, but there was nothing in site. He continued to circle, looking for the source of the noise, when he turned one more time to come face to face with the mummy. Hux screamed dropping the torch he was holding as he coward in fear reaching for the charms around his neck. Holding up a cross he chanted, “May the good Lord protect and watch over me as a shepherd watches over his flock.”</p>
<p>            When that didn’t work, he began jingling for other charms and saying corresponding chants to try and stop the mummy's pursuit. Holding up one after another until the mummy stopped at the Star of David, recognizing Hux’s incantation as the language of the slaves. Addressing Hux, the mummy said, “I may have use for you. And the rewards will be great.” The mummy held out a hand of gold for Hux to take in exchange for his service. Sighing in relief, Hux called the mummy his prince and took the reward. Whatever it would take, he would serve this creature, so long as it kept him alive.</p>
<p>            “Where are the other sacred jars?” The mummy asked Hux, holding up the broken panther head in his hand. Hux told the mummy the information he needed, and then rose from the sands in order to find the men who had taken what was needed in order for him to become immortal.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Plagues of Egypt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Smut and the beginning of the Plagues!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   After traveling all night, Ben, Poe, and Rey arrived at Fort Brydon in Cairo. The trio were absolutely exhausted, but not enough to notice the rolling thunder and lightening that was coming from the distance to encase the city. They checked into the hotel, Poe immediately heading towards the bar, while Ben and Rey settled their belongings in a suite. Once everything was arranged, Ben pulled Rey to his chest crushing her lips to his this own. The kiss was far from the loving ones that they shared in her tent in Hamunaptra. No, these were desperate and searching for something as she opened her mouth to let his tongue slide in and taste her further. </p>
<p>            “Ben?” Rey asked as she pulled away from him reluctantly needing to catch her breath.</p>
<p>            “Please, Rey. Please just let me feel you. I need to feel…” He said clutching her face gently in between his hands. His usually bright chocolate eyes looked haunted for a second. </p>
<p>            “I know, Ben,” she said, reaching up to place her hands on his chest, “You are not alone.”</p>
<p>            “Neither are you.” He replied, swooping down to carry her bridal style to the bed. They frantically removed their clothing, desperate to feel one another's skin, to know that they were alive and everything was going to be alright. In the sunlight, Ben could properly stare at Rey’s bare chest, admiring how beautiful she looked.</p>
<p>            “Absolutely stunning. I’ll never be able to get that image out of my head.” Ben said as he leaned down to take Rey’s left breast into his mouth. Sucking, he nipped and pulled lightly at her nipple causing Rey to moan at the pleasure it brought.</p>
<p>            “Ben, please… stop teasing me.” She gasped out breathlessly.</p>
<p>            Ben slowly lifted himself off of Rey as he looked into her eyes. The tip of his cock was just skidding her entrance, when she reached down impatiently to help guide him to where he needed to be. With one final push, he entered her enticing a deep moan from Rey. For the first time, they didn’t have to worry about being quite or waking up his brother. He could make her scream his name if he wanted to. And oh, how he wanted to.</p>
<p>            As Ben continued his motions pulling in and out of her, Rey wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing him to stay close to her, but increasing his speed. He brought his left hand in between them to frantically rub at her clit, “want you to come first.” He breathlessly whispered in her ear. And if that didn’t just absolutely do it for Rey, as Ben applied the perfect amount of pressure to rip an earth-shattering orgasm out of her. That was all it took for Ben to follow shortly after, continuing his small circles around Rey’s clit to draw out her orgasm. She howled his name in ecstasy as her walls constricted and milked Ben’s cock.</p>
<p>            When he finally pulled out of her, he rolled over on his side so he was facing her. Still trying to catch her breath, Rey turned to face Ben when she asked, “Where will you go? What are you going to do now?” </p>
<p>            This was the question that she had been dreading, but needing to ask. She had to know what Ben was thinking, what he wanted. She had nothing to offer him. Hell, he found her in a prison about to be put to death. Her life was not one worth saving, till he came along and gave it new purpose. If Ben wanted to walk away, she would let him. Even if that meant destroying her heart. But something in Rey's heart made her think that Ben was the end game, and that he would stay with her no matter what. He was the one that wouldn't leave. </p>
<p>            Ben reached over and began tracing the faint scars up and down Rey’s arms, “The mummy came alive because of the incantation I read. If what the Medjay said is true, then I have to stay here and try and stop him.”</p>
<p>            Rey stared at him, anger filling her core, “Ben you can’t! The mummy will kill you.”</p>
<p>            “Rey, I have to take responsibility for my actions. If that means helping the Medjay in any way I can, then so be it.” He said.</p>
<p>            No. She couldn't let Ben put himself in danger like this. More than anything, Rey wanted him to run away with her. Take off, get out of Egypt, explore what this connection between them meant. Rey got up from the bed and began putting her clothes back on. She refused to look at Ben as she walked over to the walk-in closet where they had put their clothes earlier.</p>
<p>            “Rey? What are you doing?” Ben asked as he too, stood up and started putting his clothes back on. He just couldn't understand why Rey was so upset with him wanting to stop the mummy. </p>
<p>            “I thought you said you didn’t believe in that fairy tales and hokum stuff.” Rey said as she grabbed a handful of Ben’s clothes to shove into his trunk. She shooed a white cat off the top of the trunk so she could open it and start packing.</p>
<p>            Before any harm could come to the cat, Ben came over and picked up the white cat and cradled it in his arms. Rey violently lifted the lid and started stuffing Ben’s clothes into the trunk. “Having an encounter with a 3,000-year-old walking, talking corpse does tend to convert one.” Ben replied looking at the hastily packed trunk in confusion. Ben set the cat down and pulled his clothes out of it and ran back to the closet.</p>
<p>            “Forget it! We’re out of the door, down the hall, and we’re gone.” Rey yelled back as she grabbed Ben’s underwear from the drawer and threw them into the now empty trunk. Why was this intelligent, wonderful man being such an Idoit?</p>
<p>            “Oh no we are not.” Ben argued back.</p>
<p>            “Oh, yes, we are.” Rey said.</p>
<p>            “Oh no, we are not. We woke him up and now we are going to stop him.” Ben said with defiance in his voice.</p>
<p>            Rey was not a very tactful person when she was angry. Often, she allowed her temper to say the most mean and hurtful things. So, it should not have come as a surprise when she said to Ben, “We? What we? We didn’t’ read that book. I told you not to play around with that thing. Didn’t I tell you?”</p>
<p>            Ben began gathering the books that Rey had just thrown into the trunk saying, “Yes, me, me, me, I, I, I woke him up and I intend to stop him.”</p>
<p>            “Yeah, how? You heard the man. No mortal weapons can kill this guy.” Rey pointed out.</p>
<p>            “Well then we are just going to have to find some immortal ones.”</p>
<p>            “There is that we again.”</p>
<p>            “You are not listening, Rey. We have to do something. Once this creature has been reborn, his curse is going to spread until the whole of the Earth is destroyed.”</p>
<p>            “And how is that my problem, Ben?” Rey yelled back exasperated.</p>
<p>            “It is everyone’s problem. Rey, are you really not going to stay with me? Help me?” Ben asked, the pain of loss lacing his voice.</p>
<p>            Rey looked at his sad brown eyes. Hardening her features, she very bluntly said, “Look Ben, I appreciate you saving my life and all, but when I signed on, I agreed to take you out there and bring you back. I have done that. End of job. End of story. Contract terminated.” Rey yelled right into Ben’s face.</p>
<p>            “Is that all I was to you, Rey? A contract?” Ben asked as he stepped back from the anger on Rey's face. He could feel his heart breaking that this incredible woman had only ever seen him as a means to an end. </p>
<p>            Rey cast her eyes down in shame. She couldn’t answer him knowing that saying yes would be a lie, “Look, you can either tag along with me or you can stay here and try and save the world. What’s is going to be?”</p>
<p>            “I’m staying.” Ben said with hard conviction in his voice, refusing to look away from Rey. He could see the sadness in her eyes and knew that she felt more for him then she was allowing to be shown. He allowed himself to hope and thought maybe Rey would come around. </p>
<p>            “Fine.” Rey said, and turned to walk out of the bedroom.</p>
<p>            “Fine.” Ben replied, as he watched Rey leave.</p>
<p>            “Fine.” Rey replied one more time shutting the door in Ben’s face.</p>
<p>            Ben just stood there as the love of his life, not only walked away from a celestial mess, abet one he had created, but also himself. For once he believed that he was truly worth fighting for, but apparently even someone as perfect as Rey had her limitations. He would not allow himself to mope around. The sooner he figured out how to kill the mummy, the sooner he could try and fix things with Rey. That is, if she even wanted to fix things with him. His heart was telling him yes, she did, but there was always that rational doubt just swimming in the back of his head. Grabbing a few of his books, Ben headed downstairs to try and get some research done and put the fight with Rey out of his mind.</p>
<p>__________________________________</p>
<p>   Rey was absolutely furious with Ben. Not only was he going to attempt something that would likely get him killed, but he refused to run away with her. Truth be told, she was so hurt that Ben didn’t want to stay with her. <em>That's not true </em>she thought. When she saw the heartbroken look in his eyes when she called him a contract, she knew he wanted to stay with her. He was just the type of person that was so good that he had to help. But, she would have kept him safe if they had run away! Of course, he just needed to kill the mummy first. Everything that had happened at Hamunaptra was finally taking a toll on Rey and she needed a drink, badly.</p>
<p>   Heading into the bar, she spotted Poe sitting on a stool. She walked over to join him, but not before accidently bumping into Cornel Winston, a frequent visitor of the bar scene here in Cairo that Rey would see on occasion, usually with a concubine on his arm like the one he had now. He was slurring his speech, exclaiming out, “I’m the last of the Royal Air Corps stationed here,” and saying that, “All the other ladies died in the sky and were buried in the sand. Good chaps, every one of them too.”</p>
<p>   As he stumbled into a fountain in the middle of the room claiming that someone had spilled their drink. Rey acknowledged his presence before turning back to continue on her destination.</p>
<p>   “You know, O’Connell, ever since the end of the great war, there hasn’t been a single challenge worthy of a man like me.” Winston said following Rey to the bar.</p>
<p>   She flicked Poe behind the ear, waking him from his semi-drunken stupor. She nodded at the box in his hands, indicating for him to put it away. Poe discreetly hid it in his breast coat pocket as Winston came up behind Rey and Poe. “Yeah, we all got our little problems today, Winston.” Rey replied taking a seat at the bar.</p>
<p>   Poe poured her a drink as Winston continued, “I just wish I could have chucked it in with the others and gone down in a flame of glory instead of sitting around here, rotting of boredom and booze. Cheers.” Winston said taking Poe’s shot glass from his hands and downing it.</p>
<p>   Rey had heard Winston’s complaints several times. But usually, like today, he would quickly turn his somber tune around and happily trot off to the airfield, but of course not before slapping her and Poe on the back.</p>
<p>   Poe and Rey made brief eye contact before Rey finally asked, “Tell me, has your brother always been…”</p>
<p>   “Oh, yes, always. Especially with those he loves.” Poe supplied giving Rey a side eyed knowing glare. </p>
<p>   She wanted to ask how Poe knew they were...whatever they were; maybe find out if there was a chance she could convince Ben to still join her, but Henderson and Daniels came up and said, “Well, we’re all packed up but the damn boat doesn’t leave till tomorrow morning.”</p>
<p>   “Tail set firmly between your legs I see.” Said Poe while taking a shot.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, you can talk, you don’t have some sacred walking corpse after you.” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   “So, uh, how’s your friend?” Rey asked Daniels.</p>
<p>   “He had his eyes and his tongue ripped out. How would you be?” Daniels replied.</p>
<p>                                                 ___________________________</p>
<p>   Upstairs, Burns was sitting in a comfortable chair in the living room of the suite that his friends had purchased for the night, when someone came to the door claiming to offer help to Burns for his situation. “I am so pleased to meet you.” Burns said as he reached out to shake the Prince’s hand. Due to his blindness, he was unable to see it was the mummy and Hux.</p>
<p>   Hux grabbed Burns’s hand and slowly set it back on the arm of the chair, “Prince Imhotep does not like to be touched. A silly Eastern superstition I’m afraid.”</p>
<p>   “Please forgive me,” Burns said as he reached over for his tea, accidently knocking it over.</p>
<p>   Hux expressed his pity for Burns’s situation, as he leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Mr. Burns, Prince Imhotep thanks you for your hospitality. And for your eyes, and for your tongue. But I am afraid more is needed.”</p>
<p>   Burns face dropped at the realization that the mummy had found him and had come to finish the job. He tried grabbing at Hux, but he backed away as the mummy removed his mask to suck the rest of the life force from Burns.</p>
<p>   “The prince must finish the job and consummate the curse, which you and your friends have brought down upon yourselves.”</p>
<p>   “No! Wait! No!” Burns shouted as the mummy took all that was left of Burns.</p>
<p>_________________________________</p>
<p>   Back at the bar, Rey, Poe, Henderson, and Daniels shared one final round of shots for luck. When they tossed the drinks back, each one of them spit out the offending liquid along with everyone else around the bar. Their alcohol was not longer edible as it had turned into blood.</p>
<p>   Rey pointed towards the fountain in the center of the room where it was no longer spewing water, but blood.</p>
<p>   “And the rivers and waters of Egypt ran red and were as blood.” Poe said quoting the first plague of Egypt.</p>
<p>   Rey looked around the room when a sudden realization hit her, “He’s here.” She said and dashed out of the bar to look for Ben. The heated words they exchanged earlier no longer mattered. The only thing she cared about was making sure that mummy didn't go anywhere near Ben. </p>
<p>   She found him walking outside reading a book about ancient curses. He looked so studious and lost in concentration when she ran up behind him. </p>
<p>   “Oh, Ben.” She said finally catching up to him.</p>
<p>   “So, you decided to stay.” He said looking up from his book trying to hide his happiness that she hadn’t run away, that she was here in front of him. She had changed her mind and wanted to help him.</p>
<p>   “We have a problem.” Rey said just as the first few fireballs fell from the sky enacting the second plague of Egypt.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The History of the Medjay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ben and Poe find out some interesting history about their uncle while the team crafts a plot to destroy Imhotep.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Balls of fire were crashing down all-around Ben and Rey destroying the city of Cairo. Some were even catching people on fire and burning them alive. Rey grabbed Ben’s forearm to drag him inside the hotel. They were watching the destruction, listening to peoples screams, when Hux ran into Ben and Rey at the bottom of the stairs. Hux turned around to run back up the stairs, but not before Rey could stop him.</p>
<p>            Rey pushed Hux up against the wall, “Hey you little stinkweed. Where have you been?” she asked. Her answer was delayed as she looked up towards the growl of the mummy coming from a room at the top of the stairs.</p>
<p>            Hux took advantage of Rey’s distraction and ran away. Rey pulled out her pistol. She held out her other hand for Ben to take as the two headed up the stairs to investigate the disturbance.</p>
<p>            Rey walked through the door first, her pistol pointed around the room while Ben followed close behind her. When they came into the sitting room, both looked upon the dried corpse of Burns in shock. Standing in front of the fireplace was the mummy, who was twitching and growling as his body began to slightly regenerate.</p>
<p>            Ben lowered his hand from his mouth. Rey continued to point the pistol towards the mummy, but was shaking as she said, “We are in serious trouble.”</p>
<p>            The mummy started walking toward Ben and Rey. Ben screamed as Rey continued to fire shot after shot at the mummy, with no impact or damage caused.</p>
<p>            Poe, Henderson, and Daniels came running into the room. At the site of the mummy, Henderson and Daniels pulled their pistols out and began shooting along with Rey. When the shots had no effect, the mummy grabbed Rey and threw her back towards Poe, Henderson, and Daniels.</p>
<p>            “Rey!” Ben screamed, but was quickly distracted by the mummy advancing on him. The mummy was whispering to Ben in the ancient language again.</p>
<p>   “You saved me from the undead. For that I thank you.” The mummy continued to get closer, pissing Rey off, when suddenly the white cat jumped on the piano, frightening the mummy. He cried out, turned into sand, and flew away out the open window.</p>
<p>            Poe, Rey, Henderson, and Daniels all took a moment to collect themselves. They sat up looking at the window the mummy just escaped out of when Rey said, “We are in very serious trouble.”</p>
<p>_____________________</p>
<p>   Ben had come up with the idea to head back to the Museum of Antiquities to consult with their uncle.</p>
<p>   As they were walking into the museum, Poe made the comment, “He does seem to like you, Ben.” Referring to the mummy.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, what’s that about?” Rey asked. She was more pissed out than jealous of the mummy and the special attention that he paid towards Ben. </p>
<p>   “What’s this guy want?” Henderson asked.</p>
<p>   “There’s only one person that can give us any answers.” Ben said as he rounded the corner. He saw his Uncle Luke standing there with Finn, the Medjay. “You!”</p>
<p>   Rey, Poe, and Henderson raised their pistols at the Medjay at the same time Luke greeted his nephews and the other gentlemen.</p>
<p>   “What is he doing here?” Ben asked.</p>
<p>   “Do you really want to know, or would you prefer to just shoot us?” Luke asked in return.</p>
<p>   Rey retracted her pistol, “After what I just saw, I’m willing to go on a little faith here.”</p>
<p>   The men behind her followed suite in lowering their weapons as Luke continued his explanation.</p>
<p>   “We are part of an ancient secret society. For over 3,000 years, we have guarded the City of the Dead. We are sworn at manhood to do any and all in our part to stop the High Priest Imhotep from being reborn into this world.”</p>
<p>   “And now Because of you, we have failed.” Said Finn, accusing Ben directly.</p>
<p>   “And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?” Ben accused Finn right back.</p>
<p>   “To stop this creature, Let me think. Yes!” Luke said.</p>
<p>   Ben could not believe what he was hearing from his uncle. He started pacing back in forth in contemplation of the information he had gathered, while Rey sat in one of the museum thrones for display. She raised her right pointer finger up into the air to ask, “Question. Why doesn’t he like cats?”</p>
<p>   “Cats are the guardians of the underworld.” Luke answered mater of factly. “He will fear them until he is fully regenerated.”</p>
<p>   “Then he will fear nothing.” Finn added, not helpfully.</p>
<p>   “You know how he gets his self fully regenerated?” Daniels said.</p>
<p>   “By killing everyone who opened that chest.” Henderson replied playing with the barrel of his pistol.</p>
<p>   “And sucking them dry!” Daniels was on the verge of loosing his mind.</p>
<p>   Poe was playing with the bow of a museum set when Ben told him to stop. He turned back to Luke, “When I saw him alive at Hamunaptra, he called me Ramesses.”</p>
<p>   Luke and Finn shared a look of disbelief. Ben continued, “And then just now in Mr. Burns’ quarters, he tried to bow to me.”</p>
<p>   “It was because of his desire for power that he was cursed.” Luke explained.</p>
<p>   “It is said that he tried to take the throne of Queen Seti I. Part of that plan was sacrificing her son, Ramesses II in order to bring to life a more powerful and ancient force that would cast despair over Egypt forever. He enlisted the help of Anuck Su Namun, whom was engaged to be wed to the prince before their coup was discovered.” Finn continued.</p>
<p>  “Well, that is very terrifying, but what does that got to do with me?” Ben asked.</p>
<p>   “He must believe that you are the reincarnated version of Ramesses II. Which is not far off consider our bloodline, Ben.” Luke said.</p>
<p>   “If what Skywalker has told me is true about your family, then perhaps the creature will once again try to raise the spirit of Palpatine from the dead.” Finn said. "By first raising Anuck Su Namun. She was charged with keeping the knowledge of the most forbidden of incantations."</p>
<p>   “With you as his sacrifice, Ben.” Luke finished.</p>
<p>   “Bad luck, old mum. Good thing I’m adopted.” Poe said to Ben. </p>
<p>   “On the contrary,” Luke said, “It may just give us the time we need to kill the creature. It was rumored that he loved Anuck Su Namun. Perhaps we can use that as a weakness towards the creature and put him back in his grave." </p>
<p>   Finn started looking to the sky, “We will need all the help we can get. His powers are growing.”</p>
<p>   Everyone fallowed Finn’s gaze to see the moon eclipsing the sun, causing a darkness to set over Cairo, the sign of the third plague of Egypt.</p>
<p>   “And he stretched forth his hand towards the heavens and there was a darkness throughout the land of Egypt.” Poe quoted.</p>
<p>_______________________</p>
<p>   Back at the hotel, everyone was taking inventory and trying to digest the information they had learned. Ben addressed the group, “We must stop him from regenerating. Who opened that chest?”</p>
<p>   “Well, there was me and Daniels here. And Burns, of course.” Henderson said.</p>
<p>   “And that Egyptologist fellow.” Daniels supplied.</p>
<p>   “What about my buddy, Hux?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>   “Nah, he scrammed out of there before we even opened the damn thing.” Daniels said.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, he was the smart one.” Said Henderson.</p>
<p>   Rey lightly chuckled, “Yeah, that sounds like Hux.”</p>
<p>   “We must find the Egyptologist and bring him back to the safety of the fort before the creature can get to him.” Ben said to Rey.</p>
<p>   “Right.” Rey said pointing to Ben, “He stays here.” Then Rey pointed to the other three men in the room, “You three come with me.”</p>
<p>   Everyone started yelling their protest at Rey’s direction all at once. Rey turned around to see what the confusion was all about when Ben walked up to her asking who put her in charge. Rey punched Ben in the stomach, causing Ben to fall to the ground in pain. She then grabbed his hands and dragged him to the bedroom. She left him in front of the bed, slamming the doors and locking them.</p>
<p>   “Rey! You are not leaving me in here. Poe, if you don’t open this door in one minute flat…” Ben screamed from behind the locked door, but his threats were left unanswered.</p>
<p>   All three of the men watched Rey, when she suddenly grabbed Daniels by the collar of his shirt and said, “This door doesn’t open. He doesn’t come out and no one goes in, Right?”</p>
<p>   “Right.” Daniels answered.</p>
<p>   “Right?” Rey said addressing Henderson.</p>
<p>   “Right.” Henderson replied.</p>
<p>   Rey dropped the key into Daniel’s hand before walking over to Poe saying, “Let’s go, Poe.”</p>
<p>   “Oh, I thought I could just stay at the fort and reconnoiter.” Poe said.</p>
<p>   “Now!” Rey shouted at him.</p>
<p>   “Yes, right. We’re just gonna rescue the Egyptologist.” Poe said taking one last sip from his flask before following Rey out the door to the find the doctor in Egyptology from the dig.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. He is a mummy no more</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rey and Poe look for the Egyptologist while Imhotep goes after Ben.</p><p>On a side note, I have finished the sequel and will be posting it as soon as this story is done. I have not decided if I am going to do the third movie or not since I didn't like it as much, but we shall see. I'm not completely opposed to the idea and honestly, I'm not ready to let go of this Rey and Ben just yet. Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this ride and has welcomed me into the writing community. I greatly appreciate the kudos, comments, and support!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The doctor knew he had little time left before the mummy would find him. Grabbing the little items he valued along with the Book of the Dead, he dashed out of his room and down the abandoned alley ways of Cairo. The eclipse had made everything dark and very hard to see. Noises surrounded the doctor every where as he continued his dash through the city. Little did he know that mummy had already found him and was following close, waiting for his opportunity to extract the doctor’s soul.</p><p>_____________________________</p><p>   Hux was searching the good doctor’s apartment when Rey and Poe found his residence. Papers were scattered everywhere, drawers were pulled from their tracks, and items were knocked off the desk as Hux continued searching for what the two assumed was the Book of the Dead.</p><p>   “Well, well, well. Let me guess. Spring Cleaning?” Rey asked Hux as her and Poe came into view of the chaos.</p><p>   Hux tried to run towards the open window, but Rey picked up a chair and threw it, hitting Hux directly in the back causing him to fall to the ground.</p><p>   “Nice shot!” Poe commented.</p><p>   “Oh, Hux, did you fall down? Let me help you up.” Rey said grabbing Hux by his suspenders and throwing him up against a bookshelf. “You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn’t you, Hux.”</p><p>   “What friend? You are my only friend.” Hux answered pathetically.</p><p>   Rey then threw Hux on top of the desk, causing the pictures to shatter, “What the hell are you doing with this creep?” she yelled. “What’s in it for you?”</p><p>   “It is better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path. As long as I serve him, I am immune.” Hux replied as he winced in pain. </p><p>   Rey picked Hux back up and threw him on another wall causing more papers and books to fall on top of Hux. “Immune from what?”</p><p>   Hux started speaking in Hungarian when Rey asked him what he said. Hux replied, “I don’t want to tell you. You will just hurt me some more.”</p><p>   Fed up with Hux and his games, Rey pulled Hux to the center of the room where they were standing under a ceiling fan. “What are you looking for? And try not to lie to me,” she said hefting up Hux so his face was directly under the spinning fan.</p><p>  Hux screamed out he was look for the book. “The black book they found at Hamunaptra. He wants it back. He said to me it would be worth its weight in gold.”</p><p>   Rey lowered Hux down a little bit, “What does he want the book for?” at this point Poe was standing right besides Rey.</p><p>   “I don’t know.” Hux replied.</p><p>   Rey hefted Hux back up towards the fan causing Hux to gasp and say, “Something about bringing an evil spirit back to life. But that’s all. He just wants the book, I swear.”</p><p>   Rey lowered Hux back to the ground. Hux turned his head towards Poe, “And your brother. But that’s all. I swear.”</p><p>   Suddenly, Poe and Rey became distracted by a woman screaming in the streets. The distraction was enough for Hux to punch Rey in the stomach and dash for the window, which he jumped directly out of and escaped into the streets of Cairo. Rey and Poe came to the broken window see a crowd of people backing away from a dried-out corpse in the streets and a man in black looming over him. They were too late to save the doctor.</p><p>   The mummy grabbed the jar from the doctor’s hands along with the Book of the Dead. He then turned to look at Rey and Poe watching him from the window. He was partially regenerated to the point that skin could clearly be seen on his face and chest. Upon seeing the two who were trying to stop him from accomplishing his goal, the mummy growled releasing a plague of bugs upon the city.</p><p>   Poe and Rey locked the window to keep the bugs from coming into the room. “That’s two down. Two to go.” Rey said to Poe.</p><p>   “Soon they will be going after Ben.” Poe said. The two dashed out of the room to try and make it back to the fort before the mummy could get there.</p><p>______________________________</p><p>   Back at the fort, Daniels was looking out the window at the guards shouting orders to secure the fort. He was tired of being afraid of the mummy and he needed something to take the edge off.</p><p>   “Screw this. I’m going downstairs, get me a drink. You want something.” Daniels asked Henderson.</p><p>   “Yeah. Yeah, get me a glass of bourbon.” Henderson said.</p><p>   “All right.” Daniels replied opening the door.</p><p>   “And a shot of bourbon.” Henderson said dropping his glass jar to follow Daniels to the door that he left open.</p><p>   “Yea, Okay, Okay.” Daniels replied.</p><p>   “And a bourbon chaser.” Henderson shouted at Daniels down the hall.</p><p>   “I’ll get your damn bourbon!” Daniels replied.</p><p>   “Don’t worry about the door.” Henderson complained slamming it shut. Shaking his head he turned back to the glass jar in the chair right where he left it. He began practicing with his pistol when he heard howling coming from the open window on his left.</p><p>   Henderson pointed his gun towards the window, but saw nothing in site that would have caused the noise. The wind continued to blow as Henderson approached the window, gun shaking in hand. When he saw nothing, he began to back away from the window only to be assaulted by sand. The mummy had taken on this form and attacked Henderson, draining the life force from him. Tossing Henderson’s body to the side, the mummy was now almost completely regenerated. He looked at the door where he believed the reincarnated prince was sleeping just beyond.</p><p>  Turning into sand once more, the mummy entered the room through the lock to come and look at the prince sleeping in the bed.</p><p>   “Soon, your purpose will be complete.” He said to the room, causing Ben to wake up. He screamed in terror, when suddenly Poe and Rey came bursting into the room.</p><p>   “Hey! Get your ugly face away from him.” Rey shouted.</p><p>   The mummy turned to the intruders and howled at them through his still decrepit mouth.</p><p>   “Look what I got.” Rey said holding up the white cat from earlier.</p><p>   The mummy screamed in fright as the cat hissed at him. Once again, the mummy turned into sand and disappeared out the window as before. That was a good sign as there was still time to stop the mummy from fully regenerating. </p><p>   Ben and Rey made eye contact, she looked deep into his eyes and asked if he was alright, her voice full of concern for Ben's wellbeing.</p><p>   Poe ended up replying, “Well, I’m not sure.”</p><p>   Rey turned to look at Poe, rolling her eyes at him, and then held out her hand to help Ben up.</p><p>   “Let me get my jacket and we should head back to the museum to see if we can find any more clues.” Ben said before the three left the room to find Daniels. </p><p>___________________________</p><p>   Rey, Ben, Poe, and Daniels were greeted by Luke and Finn as they entered the museum.</p><p>   Walking up the stairs to a stone carving that had been on display at the museum for awhile, Ben said, “According to legend, the black book the Americans found at Hamunaptra is supposed to bring people back from the dead. Until now, it was a notion I was unwilling to believe.”</p><p>   “Believe it, Ben. That’s what brought our buddy back to life.” Rey replied.</p><p>   “Yes. I’m thinking that if the black book can bring dead people to life then…”</p><p>   “Then maybe the gold book can kill him.” Rey finished.</p><p>   “That’s the myth.” Ben said impressed by Rey’s deduction, “Now, we just have to find out where the gold book is hidden.”</p><p>   The group turned their heads when they heard the chanting of Imhotep’s name outside on the street. Looking down out the oversized bay window on the second floor, they saw an enormously large crowed of people with their eyes dazed over continuously chanting the mummy’s name as they converged onto the museum entrance.</p><p>   “Last but not least, my favorite plague, boils and sores.” Poe said.</p><p>   “They have become his slaves.” Finn said. “So it has begun, the beginning of the end.”</p><p>   “Not quite yet, it hasn’t. Come on.” Ben said directing the group away from the window and towards the stone that would reveal the location of the gold book.</p><p>  “According to Bembridge scholars, the golden Book of Amun-Ra is located inside the statute of Anubis.”</p><p>   “That’s where we found the black book.” Daniels said.</p><p>   “Exactly.” Ben said.</p><p>   “Looks like the old boys at Bembridge were mistaken.” Poe said.</p><p>   “Unless they mixed the books up. Mixed up where they were buried. So, if the black book is inside the statute of Anubis, then the golden book must be inside…” Ben continued studying the stone to try and decipher where the book could be buried at the same time the angry mod broke open the doors of the museum.</p><p>   “Come on Benny, faster.” Poe said.          </p><p>   “Patience is a virtue.” Ben replied.</p><p>   “Not right now, it isn’t.” Rey said.</p><p>   Poe started back peddling down the hallway, “I think I’ll go get the car started.”</p><p>   “I’ve got it! The golden Book of Amun-Ra is at Hamunaptra inside the statue of Horus. Take that, Bembridge scholars.” Ben said excitedly at his discovery.</p><p>   Meanwhile, Poe had made it out of the museum undetected only to be caught by another crowd coming out the main entrance. Poe straightened his posture and began chanting Imhotep’s name, causing the crowd to stop chasing him and slow down to a walk instead of a run. Once the crowd was out of site, Poe ran back to the car, turning the key and starting the engine.</p><p>   The gang had come up on the car, Daniels shouting at Poe to get the car in gear so they could get out of Cairo. Everyone had made it in the car when Hux came out and shouted to Imhotep to signal where the gang was.</p><p>   As Poe drove away, Rey shouted at Hux, “You’re gonna get yours, Hux! You hear me? You’re gonna get yours.”</p><p>   “Oh, like I’ve never heard that before!” Hux yelled back as the crowd continued to chase after the car.</p><p>   Poe was speeding through the streets of Cairo when suddenly he stopped. In front of the car was wall of people blocking their way out of the city. Poe didn’t know what to do, so Rey took her foot and slammed it over Poe’s surging the car forward. The crowd started running towards the front of the car, bodies colliding with the front of the vehicle as they rolled off to the side.</p><p>   “Hang on!” Rey shouted at everyone.</p><p>   Poe continued steering as Rey and Finn started fighting people off the car. Suddenly from the backseat of the car, Daniels was pulled from his seat by two men whom Luke Skywalker and Finn had missed in the fighting.</p><p>   “O’Connell! O’Connell!” Daniels yelled as he was pulled from the vehicle. He backed himself into a corner and started shooting at the crowd as they came closer to him, but they suddenly parted to reveal the mummy. Daniels continued pointing his weapons, confused by the crowds reaction till he made eye contact with the creature whom he had been running from. The mummy was snarling at Daniels, his face not whole with some decomposition exposed in his mouth and jaw. Daniels dropped his empty weapons and held the jar out to the mummy, hoping that by giving him the jar back the mummy would spare his life. Instead the mummy completely devoured his life source, now fully regenerated.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Winston Havlock at your service, sir</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Honestly, who doesn't love Winston. I was so sad he died, but alas the story must continue. Not going to lie, I kind of struggled with some of the lines in this chapter and totally threw in some Star Wars references, so hopefully it doesn't sound too cheesy. lol </p>
<p>On another side note, the sequel is DONE! I will began posting it once this story is complete. I also re-watched the their mummy movie and decided I didn't hate it as much as I thought I did and will be doing a third installment based off that movie. Plus maybe some one-shots to supplement material... who knows! Blame quarantine. </p>
<p>Anyway, thank you to those who have read from the beginning and continue to comment and encourage this story! It is much appreciated!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Unable to save Daniels, Rey urged Poe to continue forward… till Poe crashed the car into a water fountain. Everyone climbed out of the vehicle and started running from the crowd that continued to chase them.</p>
<p>            They were completely surrounded and had no where to go. The crowd began chanting Imhotep’s name as they continued to push the gang up against the doors of the masque leaving no room for escape.</p>
<p>            Suddenly, part of the crowd dispersed to leave a path to allow their leader to come forward, followed by Hux.</p>
<p>            “It is the creature.” Luke said.</p>
<p>            “He is fully regenerated.” Finn replied.</p>
<p>            Once the mummy was close, he began speaking in the ancient language, directly at Ben.</p>
<p>            “Come with me, my prince.” Hux translated. “It is time to fulfil your destiny that the potential of your bloodline promises the wonders of forever.”</p>
<p>            Ben rolled his eyes at Hux, “for all eternity, you idoit.”</p>
<p>            The mummy began speaking in Arabic, holding out his hand to Ben while Hux again translated, “Take my hand, and I will spare your friends.”</p>
<p>            “Oh, dear. Have you got any bright ideas?” Ben asked Rey.</p>
<p>            Rey continued to hold the torch in her hand, twirling the stick back and forth, “I’m thinking, I’m thinking.”</p>
<p>            “You better think of something fast, because if he turns me into a mummy, you are the first one I’m coming after.” Ben said.</p>
<p>            Rey looked up at Ben, seeing fear and determination in his eyes. Ben leaned down and kissed Rey on the forehead before walking forward to take Imhotep’s hand.</p>
<p>            Rey pulled her pistol out and pointed it at the mummy, “No!”</p>
<p>            “Don’t!” Ben said at the same time Finn grabbed Rey’s hand to keep her from shooting the mummy. “He has to take me to Hamunaptra to preform the ritual.”</p>
<p>            “He is right. Live today, fight tomorrow.” Finn said.</p>
<p>            Rey reluctantly retracted her weapon, staring at Ben. He had such love in affection in his eyes that Rey knew was only directed towards her. “I Love you.” She said, her voice cracking a little bit at the end of the declaration. </p>
<p>            “I know.” Ben said back, a soft smile formed on his face which did not disappear when the mummy grabbed his forearm. </p>
<p>            Rey turned her gaze towards the mummy, she hardened her features to keep herself from crying and pointed her torch at the mummy, “I’ll be seeing you again.”</p>
<p>            The mummy had the audacity to smirk at Rey as he dragged Ben away from the group, but more importantly, away from Rey. Ben continued to look over his shoulder, not breaking eye contact with Ben.</p>
<p>            “Hey, that’s mine.” Poe said to Hux as he took the puzzle box out of Poe’s breast pocket.</p>
<p>            “Thank you.” Hux said walking away from Poe to follow the mummy.</p>
<p>   Once he had cleared the crowd, the mummy gave to order to have the group killed. The crowd began to chant Imhotep’s name again as they advanced upon them. Rey threw her torch at the crowd and began pulling the cap that lead to the sewage system below the city. If they could get out of the city alive, then they had a shot at saving Ben before the mummy killed him.</p>
<p>   “Come on!” Rey said to Poe. She helped him down the hole.</p>
<p>   “What about my brother?” Poe asked.</p>
<p>   “We are going to get him back.” Rey promised.</p>
<p>  Rey grabbed the front of Finn’s robe, “You’re next.” She said as she pushed him down the hole.</p>
<p>  Luke drew a sword and began slicing people in the crowd to stall the conversion.</p>
<p>   “Come on! Give me your hand!” Rey yelled at Luke.</p>
<p>   “You go!” Luke yelled.</p>
<p>   “Come on!” Rey yelled.</p>
<p>   “Go! And tell my nephew, ‘no one is ever really gone.’,” Luke said as he continued to fight the crowd in order to give Rey enough time to drop down the hole and join the others. They would follow the tunnel out of the city and hopefully make it to Winston’s airfield by sunrise. It was the fastest way to get back to Hamunaptra and save Ben.</p>
<p>   Luke made his final stand that night. His final thoughts as the possessed followers overtook him were of his family.</p>
<p>________________________</p>
<p>            The sun had just risen over the desert as Poe drove the three survivors into the gates of the Royal Air Force field of Giza. Winston was sitting on top a sand mound, drinking a cup of tea while his caddy held an umbrella in an attempt to keep the sun off his face.</p>
<p>            Rey walked up the hill followed by Poe and Finn, “Morning Winston. Ah, a word?” she asked.</p>
<p>            The record player was playing a soft Arab jazz tune as the three approached Winston. Rey told him they had a ‘little problem’ and needed him to fly the three to Hamunaptra.</p>
<p>            “What’s your little problem got to do with His Majesty’s Royal Air Corps?” Winston asked.</p>
<p>            “Not a damn thing.” Rey answered honestly.</p>
<p>            Winston set his tea cup down and asked with excitement, “Is it dangerous?”</p>
<p>            “You probably won’t live through it.” Rey said bluntly.</p>
<p>            “By jove, do you really think so?” Winston asked, hope filled the poor man's eyes.</p>
<p>            “Everybody else we’ve bumped into has died. Why not you?” Poe said.</p>
<p>            “What’s the… What’s the challenge, then?” Winston asked.</p>
<p>            “Rescue the prince, kill the bad guy, and save the world.” Rey said mater-of-factly.</p>
<p>            Winston started laughing, “Winston Havlock at your service, sir.” And finished it with a mock solute.</p>
<p>            Once in the air, Winston flew like the crazy old man he was. Rey was sitting behind the old chap while Poe and Finn were hanging on for dear life on the wings of the SV-4B. She whistled to Poe and asked him if he was alright.</p>
<p>            “Do I bloody look all right?” Poe shouted back annoyed and terrified.</p>
<p>            Rey turned and whistled to Finn and asked him how he was doing. Finn did not reply, but his mouth hung open and he smiled like he was having the time of his life.</p>
<p>            Off to their left, there was a sand tornado fast approaching on the plane’s tail.</p>
<p>            “See that? I’ve never seen one so big.” Winston said.</p>
<p>            “Never?” Rey asked with concern. </p>
<p>            “No!” Winston said, but he kept their flight path straight and true.</p>
<p>            On the ground, the sand tornado ended up being Imhotep carrying Hux and Ben back to the city. He roughly dropped them to the ground and Ben began hitting Hux to get off of him.</p>
<p>            “I need a new job.” Hux said to no one in particular. The two watched as the tornado collapsed in on itself to reveal the human form of Imhotep.</p>
<p>            “Oh, my god. We’re back.” Ben said. Suddenly, the three looked up from the ground to see a plane fast approaching upon their location. “Rey.” Ben said relieved with a smile on his face. He knew she would come for him.</p>
<p>            In anger upon seeing that the group was not dead, Imhotep held out his hands and called upon his powers to create a giant wall of sand to send the plane crashing down upon the Earth.</p>
<p>            “Oh no.” Rey said upon seeing the unbelievable force behind them, “Hey, Winston! Pedal faster!” she shouted.</p>
<p>            Winston saw the wall of sand heading their way in his small, round rear-view mirror. “Hang on, men!” he shouted pushing the lever forward sending the plane into a nose dive.</p>
<p>            Poe and Finn shouted in fear from the sudden drop, as Winston caused the plane to hover just a few feet above the ground towards their destination.</p>
<p>            Rey grabbed the gun that was attached to her seat when she suddenly saw the face of the mummy appear in the sand wall behind them. She armed the weapon and began firing all over the face, screaming at the creature. It had no effect.</p>
<p>   Back at the entrance of the city, Imhotep howled releasing the storm upon the plane. The sand entrapped it causing the plane to start crashing.</p>
<p>            “Stop it! You’ll kill them!” Ben shouted.</p>
<p>            “That’s the idea.” Hux replied.</p>
<p>            Ben pushed Hux out of the way and studied Imhotep. He was in meditation in order to make the spell work, so somehow, he had to break the mummy’s concentration.</p>
<p>            Clutching his fist, Ben pulled back as far as his arm would allow and socked Imhotep right in the side of the cheek, breaking his nose. Imhotep roared in pain, but it was enough to stop the storm and save the plane from its uncontrollable circling and crashing. The engine was on fire, but Winston was able to land the plane, even if it wasn't entirely a safe landing.</p>
<p>            Once Imhotep recovered from the shock of the punch, his nose healed, and he shot Ben a look of pure disgust as he walked towards the city of Hamunaptra.</p>
<p>            “I love the whole sand-wall trick. It was beautiful. Bastard.” Hux tried to complement his master, but shut up quickly and followed him.</p>
<p>            Back at the plane, Rey and Finn crawled out of the wreckage a bit disoriented when Poe shouted, “Excuse me! A little help would be useful, if it’s not too much trouble!”</p>
<p>            Rey grabbed her bag of weapons before walking over to help Poe, “yeah, yeah, alright.”</p>
<p>            Finn, fascinated by the weapon on the back of the plane, pulled the gun off, thinking it could be useful.</p>
<p>            Once Rey got Poe unstuck, she headed over to check on Winston, continuously calling his name. When she saw that his eyes were closed and felt he had no pulse, Rey turned back to inform the others. Before she could say anything, the plane began sinking into the sand.</p>
<p>            “Quicksand! Get back! It’s quicksand.” Poe shouted.</p>
<p>            The three quickly got away from the wreckage and watched in somber respect as the plane sunk into the ground. Winston had gotten his wish. He died in combat and went out in a blaze of glory. Before leaving, Rey saluted the fallen soldier, picked up her bag, and began walking towards the city of Hamunaptra followed by Poe and Finn.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Return to Hamunaptra</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rey, Finn, and Poe attempt to rescue Ben. </p>
<p>What? Another update? My mom and step dad are going to be in town visiting and I just didn't think I would have time to post this on Saturday, so here you go! Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Imhotep led Ben and Hux deep into the hear of Hamunaptra where the ritual would be performed. It had been over 3,000 years since he had tried to resurrect Anck Su Namun. She was the priestess of the force. Her knowledge was needed in order to bring the Sith God Palpatine to life. With his power, Imhotep would be invincible, and he would rule the land of Egypt forever.</p>
<p>            Ben had not been in this part of the city. He was in awe by his surroundings till Hux hit him in the back telling him to keep moving. Ben slowly turned around and said, “You know, nasty little fellows such as yourself always get their comeuppance.”</p>
<p>            Hux scuffed at Ben, “Really, they do?”</p>
<p>            “Oh, yes. Always.” Ben said. And then continued down the stairs after Imhotep.</p>
<p>_____________________________________</p>
<p>   Back at the entrance of the chamber, Finn had explained that the Medjay collapsed the entrance in order to keep people from entering the chamber. He and Rey began moving stones while Poe stood behind them holding the torch.</p>
<p>            “I’d take those bigger stones first. Take them from the top, otherwise the whole thing will cave in on us. Come on. Put your backs into it.” Poe commanded.</p>
<p>            Both Rey and Finn turned around to look at Poe in disbelief.</p>
<p>            Realizing that he maybe said the wrong thing, he said, “Yes, well, you’ve got the idea. Chop, chop.”</p>
<p>            Rey and Finn went back to removing the stones from the blocked entrance while Poe started examining the wall off to the side. It had jeweled scarabs lining the wall, “I say.” Poe said to no one in particular.</p>
<p>            He pulled one off the wall, looking at it in his hand, “Gents, you should come and have a look at this.” When suddenly, the scarab came to life, emerging from inside the jewel. It burrowed into Poe’s arm causing his to scream out in shock and pain.</p>
<p>            Rey and Finn immediately stopped what they were doing and look at Poe. “What?” she yelled.</p>
<p>            “It’s my arm. My arm!” Poe screamed.</p>
<p>            Rey ripped Poe’s shirt to reveal a small bump crawling up Poe’s arm towards his head.</p>
<p>            “Whoa,” Rey said.</p>
<p>            “Do something!” Poe yelled.</p>
<p>            “Hold it,” Rey said to Finn, who came up behind Poe to hold his body in place. Rey whipped out a pocket knife to cut a slit in Poe’s shoulder.</p>
<p>            “Do something! Do something! Not that! Not that!” Poe shouted.</p>
<p>            Rey was able to pull the scarab out of Poe’s shoulder and flew it across the room. Rey aimed her pistol, the bullet completely destroying the scarab.</p>
<p>_________________________________</p>
<p>            Back in the sacred chamber, Imhotep looked up from his preparation when he heard the gun shot echo through the city.</p>
<p>            “Rey.” Ben whispered. She was still coming to rescue him.</p>
<p>            Imhotep quickly dumped some sand from one of the sacred jars into his hand and blew the dust out into the chamber. He began casting an ancient incantation. Groaning started coming from behind the wall, causing the stone outlines of the soldiers to come to life and reveal an undead army. <br/>            Hux and Ben started backing away from the creatures that the mummy had brought to life when Ben said, “Bembridge scholars never wrote about this.”</p>
<p>            The undead servants approached Imhotep, bowing to show their respect and servitude. Smirking, Imhotep bowed back, pointing towards the stair case. “Kill them.” He ordered, “And wake the others.”</p>
<p>            The next thing he knew, Ben felt something hard hit the back of his head before everything went dark.</p>
<p>_________________________</p>
<p>            Rey and Finn finally got the stones removed and were able to crawl through the entrance. Rey threw the torch down on the ground along with her bag of weapons. Once she shimmied through, she picked up her bag and prepared her shot gun. Looking across the room, Rey noticed the ancient mirror that would catch the sun and light up the room if moved to the correct place. Hanging her shot gun on her shoulder she pulled out her pistol and shot the ancient mirror causing it to turn once to illuminate what had to be the largest treasure room in the history of Egypt. She would have to thank Ben later for showing her that trick. </p>
<p>            The three looked around the room in wonder. Rey pointed her pistol out and began descending down the stairs while Poe and Finn followed her.</p>
<p>            “Can you see…” Poe asked breathlessly.</p>
<p>            “Yes,” answered Rey.</p>
<p>            “Can you believe…” Poe continued.</p>
<p>            “Yeah.” Rey said unexcitedly.</p>
<p>            “Can we just…” Poe asked.</p>
<p>            “No.” Rey said affirmatively.</p>
<p>            As the trio descended further into the treasure room, undead corpses began popping out of the ground all around their feet. </p>
<p>            “Who the hell are these guys?” Rey asked.</p>
<p>            “Priests. Imhotep’s priests.” Finn answered.</p>
<p>            “Alright then.” Rey said, and the three began shooting their weapons as the priests continued to climb out of the ground.</p>
<p>            Poe ran out of ammo first. He threw his gun, and then reached into Rey’s holster to pull out two more pistols and continued shooting. Rey shoot him a dirty look at taking from her artiliary without permission, but continued firing off her shot gun at the onslaught of priests. There were just too many of them, that the three had to eventually retreat with the priests following close behind.</p>
<p>   Rey and Finn continued to fire at the priests as the three ran down the hallway. Coming up to an alcove, Poe shouted, “There he is! Hello Horus, old boy.” Rey ran out of ammo in her shot gun. Throwing it down, she reached into her weapons bag and pulled out a dynamite stick. Taking a match, she used the side of Finn’s beard to light it and throw the ignited stick back towards the tunnel.</p>
<p>   “Time to close the door.” She said to Finn as the three took cover behind the statute of Horus as the dynamite blew up the undead priests.</p>
<p>   Once the debris had cleared, Poe and Rey began pulling at the bottom of the statue in order to release the golden book. Finn was reloading Rey’s shot gun, when he looked down the other, undestroyed hallway to see the priests coming around the corner.</p>
<p>   “Damn. These guys just don’t quit, do they?” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “Keep digging.” Finn commanded as he took the shot gun and went down the hallway after the priests.</p>
<p>_________________________________</p>
<p>   Off to the side of the treasure room, Hux was watching the entire shoot out happen. After he had knocked Ben out and chained him to the sacrificial table, the mummy had released Hux from his servitude and showed him the direction of the treasure room where he could claim his reward. With a satisfied smile on his face, Hux looked around the chamber of unbelievable wealth. He picked up a bag and began filling it with as much gold as he could carry.</p>
<p>   Once the bag was stuffed and heavier than Hux initially thought, he dragged the gold outside and mounted it onto one of the camels tied up outside the temple. Breathing heavily, Hux sat on the camel and examined his riches. He began smiling at his new fortune as he watched it glisten in the sun.</p>
<p><em>   There is so much more down there. </em>He thought, as he turned back towards the temple. Setting the piece he was admiring back in the bag with the rest of his riches, Hux headed back into the temple, motivated by his greed.</p>
<p>__________________________</p>
<p>   Back in the sacrificial chamber, Ben was beginning to rouse from being knocked out. His head was pounding slightly, and he felt something keeping his arms elevated above his head. If Rey didn’t get to him first, Ben was going to kill Hux. Ben turned his head up to see that there were thick cuffs around his wrists keeping him chained to what appeared to be a black rock slab.</p>
<p>   Suddenly, Ben felt something tickling his stomach, when he looked down, a rat was crawling around on his chest. Ben screamed and twisted to throw the rodent off of him and onto another corpse that lay next to Ben. The corpse of clearly of a woman, but he could not identify her.</p>
<p>            Imhotep’s priests began circling around Ben and the corpse, kneeling and bowing as Imhotep approached with the Book of the Dead in his hand. It was time for him to begin the ceremony.</p>
<p>            He set the book down and then looked over at the face of the corpse next to Ben. Gently stroking her cheek, Imhotep whispered, “Anck Su Namun,” before using the key to open the book.</p>
<p>            Officially loosing all sense of rational thought, Ben began screaming out for Rey and Poe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Death is only the Begining</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The epic showdown people! It's here!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Poe and Rey were finally able to get the compartment open and pulled the box out from under the statue of Horus. Opening the lid, Poe and Rey pulled back the cloth to reveal a sold gold book.</p>
<p>            Poe gasped in awe, “The Book of Amun-Ra.” It looked exactly like the book of the dead with the same star shaped lock and inscriptions, however, this book was made of sold gold.</p>
<p>            Finn continued to blast the undead priests till he ran out of ammo. After clicking the empty shot gun a few times, he turned to Rey and Poe and said, “Save the man. Kill the creature.”</p>
<p>            Before Rey or Poe could stop him, Finn charged at the corpses trying to slaughter them. Rey reached in to her weapon’s bag and pulled out another dynamite stick. Taking another match, she struck it along Poe’s beard in spite of his protest and lite the dynamite.</p>
<p>            Finn saw their hesitation but screamed, “What are you waiting for? Get out! Get Out!” before being over taken by the undead priests.</p>
<p>            Rey threw Poe behind her before throwing the stick up against the wall. The blast created a new door and also took out a few of the undead priests. Poe and Rey ran through the new hole and came down the steps to see Imhotep performing a ritual. Ben was chained to a dark slab with the sacred jars lined next to him on one side and a corpse of a women on the other side. Imhotep was citing incantations that caused a spirit to rise from the pool of water and glide over Ben. The spirit filled the body of the corpse, brining the woman back to life. Rey and Poe heard Ben scream as Imhotep moved to stand over Ben.</p>
<p>            “With your death, Anck su namun shall live. And I shall be invincible.” Imhotep said raising a knife above Ben’s heart.</p>
<p>            Rey ran down the stairs looking for a weapon as Poe shouted from the top of the steps, “Ben! The Book of Amun-Ra! I found it, Ben! I found it!”</p>
<p>            Distracted from his task, Imhotep spotted the Book of Amun-Ra and lowered the dagger in his hand. He walked around the sacrificial table to go after Poe and the book.</p>
<p>            “Shut up, Poe! And get me off of here!” Ben yelled back, “Open the book, Poe. It’s the only way to kill him. You have to open the book and find the inscription.”</p>
<p>            “I’m trying to open it, but it’s locked with something.” Poe turned the book over and looked at the star shaped lock on the front of the book. Realizing it was the same lock as the Book of the Dead, Poe shouted, “We need the key, Ben!”</p>
<p>            “It’s inside his robes!” Ben shouted back as Imhotep advanced upon Poe. Poe turned around and ran.</p>
<p>            On the other side of the chamber, Rey was able to sneak around and find a sword, which she used to cut one of the chains from the slab that was holding Ben.</p>
<p>            Imhotep saw Rey free his sacrifice and cited an incantation to command his priests to begin attacking Rey. Rey slashed back and forth as the corpses advanced upon her from the circle at the same time she was trying to protect Ben.</p>
<p>            Rey had almost incapacitated the entire circle, immobilizing the group. On the last one she decapitated the mummy who then caught his head and started juggling it back and forth. Rey took the sword and swung it like a baseball bat, hitting the head and knocking it toward the other side of the room. She pulled the sword back behind her shoulders resting it there, before cockily turning to Ben, who was smiling at his rescuer. “Mummies,” she said, but before she could cut Ben free, one of the pesky priests grabbed Rey’s legs and dragged her down to the floor.</p>
<p>            The sword was just out of reach from where Rey had dropped it. She was unable to get free from the mummy holding her legs. Suddenly another one grabbed Rey around the chest. Between the two, they were holding her down as a third mummy was advancing with the tomb stone to smash over Rey.</p>
<p>            “Rey, look out!” Ben yelled, still trapped on the slab.</p>
<p>            The hand of a corpse was dancing around on the floor when it suddenly grabbed the sword that Rey was using earlier. Just before the walking mummy could throw the tomb stone on Rey, she was able to grab the hand of the corpse along with the sword and cut the mummy’s legs before the stone could crush Rey. The weight of the stone caused the mummy to fall backwards and crush the mummy instead. </p>
<p>            Poe was hiding around, trying to read the front of the book but mostly avoiding Imhotep.</p>
<p>            “Ah, here’s an inscription.” He said citing it out loud summoning the royal guards. “Oh boy.”</p>
<p>   Once Rey was able to compose herself from the situation, Rey freed Ben completely from the slab. They began running towards the exit when suddenly a secret entrance revealed itself with more mummies that looked like royal guards formed a line and blocked their exit.</p>
<p>   “Oh, yeah. This just keeps getting better and better.” Rey said raising her sword in preparation to fight the soldiers.</p>
<p>   “Do something, Poe.” Ben said.</p>
<p>   “Me?” Poe asked.</p>
<p>   “You can command them.” Ben explained.</p>
<p>   “You have got to be joking.” Poe said.</p>
<p>   “Finish the inscription on the cover, Idiot, then you can control them.” Ben yelled as the guards continued to get closer and closer to him and Rey.</p>
<p>   Poe, at this point, had backed himself up to a stone statue. Still holding the book in his hand, he looked down at it and said, “Oh, yeah. Right,” before running to hide behind the stone.</p>
<p>   Rey and Ben continued to back away from the line of undead guards. What they did not account for was that Anck su namun would rise and attack Ben from behind. The she mummy jumped on Ben’s back, pulling him down while she tried to choke him.</p>
<p>   Imhotep shouted a command in Ancient Egyptian, causing the guards to advance forward and charge an attack at Rey.</p>
<p>   Rey shouted at them while holding up her sword to try and scare the royal mummy soldiers, but alas it had no effect. The mummies just screamed right back at her. Rey shook her head no and started running away.</p>
<p>   Ben was able to free himself from Anck su namun, but now he too was running through the temple being chased by her. “Hurry up, Poe!” He shouted, as he dodged another attack from Anck su namun.</p>
<p>   Rey found a rope that she cut and used to lift herself up to the upper level of the temple chamber, avoiding the three mummies that were chasing her. The rope was attached to a skeleton in a torture device, that conveniently dropped down and crushed one of the mummies chasing her. Once she was safely on the upper bridge, she ran through the corridor, only to be stopped by another set of three growling mummies. She ran back the way she came and down the stairs. She was stopped by three more mummies who engaged in her combat.</p>
<p>   Rey fought the onslaught as they came after her. The sword she held was thick and useful for slicing the skeletons of the mummies. The royal guards were relentless in their onslaught. Her energy was beginning to burn out, as she fell to the ground near the stairs and continued to block the attacks. Off to her left, Rey saw a torch still burning on the ground. She picked it up and set the mummy in front of her on fire.</p>
<p>   Poe was walking through the tombs, trying to read the inscription, “I can’t figure out this last symbol.”</p>
<p>   Ben who was still fighting Anck su namun yelled back, “What does it look like.”</p>
<p>   “It’s a bird. A stork!” Poe said as he flapped his arm like the wing of a bird to emphasis his point.</p>
<p>   After carefully avoiding the she mummy, Anck su namun finally caught up to Ben and once again had him in a choke hold. Ben gasped out, “Ahmenophus.” To Poe so he could finish the inscription while he once again struggled to free himself form Anck su Namun.</p>
<p>   “Oh, yes, I see.” Poe said.</p>
<p>   Rey, meanwhile, continued to fight the mummies up the stairs she had recently ran down. More mummies were jumping down on to the stair case from all directions, causing her to lose her balance and roll down the short flight back to the bottom. She had lost her sword and was most certainly done for as four of the royal guards marched in a line to deliver Rey’s demise.</p>
<p>   Just as the four lowered their spears to stab Rey, Poe spoke the complete inscription, causing the guards to stop their assault. Rey rolled away, grabbing her sword, and went to find and help Ben.</p>
<p>   Imhotep started yelling at the guards in Ancient Egyptian to destroy Rey, but the guards refused. They were no longer under Imhotep’s control. Instead Poe yelled and commanded that the guards destroy Anck su namun.</p>
<p>   The guards charged upon Anck su namun, refusing to let up on their target. Imhotep was distraught has he called her name and tried to get the guards to stop their assault. For the second time in his existance, Imhotep had to watch as the high priestess of the Force was stabbed and murdered before his eyes. A woman he possibly dared to love more than he should have. </p>
<p>   Overcome with grief, Imhotep turned and charged on Poe vowing that he would die. Poe dropped the Book of Amun-Ra as Imhotep grabbed his neck and lifted Poe up against the wall, choking him.</p>
<p>   Rey ran up behind Imhotep and cut off his arm, freeing Poe from his grasp. Unfazed by the fact that he had just lost a limb, Imhotep picked up Rey and threw her across the chamber. Stripping his robes, Imhotep picked up his dislocated limb and reattached it, heading straight for Rey. He grabbed her by her shirt and picked her up and threw her against another column.</p>
<p>   Unknown to Imhotep, Poe had snacked the puzzle box for inside his robe. He grabbed the Book of Amun-Ra along with the puzzle box and ran to Ben yelling that he got it.</p>
<p>   “Keep him busy,” Ben yelled towards Rey as Poe held the book while Ben unlocked it.</p>
<p>   In pain, Rey rolled over and looked over at the two men, “No problem.”</p>
<p>   Imhotep came up to Rey again, swinging his arm back and force knocking her across the room again, landing hard on the stone floor.</p>
<p>   Ben frantically searched the book to find the spell that would make the mummy mortal so that Rey could kill it.</p>
<p>   “Hurry, Ben. Hurry!” Poe spat frantically.</p>
<p>   “You’re not helping.” Ben spat back.</p>
<p>   Imhotep picked Rey up and began squeezing her neck. He would drain the life out of the woman who had ruined everything for him and then he would go after her lover and her friend. Nothing would be left of them once Imhotep was finished with them. “Now it’s your turn.” He said.</p>
<p>   “Oh, I got it.” Ben began chanting the incantation in Ancient Egyptian. When he had finished, a ghostly chariot appeared at the top of the stairs, With the crack of a whip, the chariot bolted forward towards Imhotep, taking with it his immortality. Imhotep ran after the chariot, but it was no use. It had disappeared back into the afterlife from where it had been summoned.</p>
<p>   Rey was back on her feet, the sword found once again. Clutching her neck, she looked up to see that Imhotep was still standing and he looked very much alive. “I thought you said it was gonna kill him!” she tried to shout at Ben.</p>
<p>   Holding the sword out, Rey looked back at Ben. Imhotep charged towards the three, growling at them. When Imhotep collided with Rey’s sword, he saw that the sword had slid right through his stomach. Blood poured profusely from the wound.</p>
<p>   “He’s mortal.” Ben said in explanation.</p>
<p>   Rey pulled the sword from Imhotep’s stomach, causing the mummy to cry out in pain. He walked back into the pool where Anck su namun’s spirit had risen from earlier that day. The pool bubbled around Imhotep as faces of several souls began appearing in the water. His regenerated skin began to fade away back to the decomposing corpse the trio had found him as.</p>
<p>   Ben, Poe, and Rey just watched as Imhotep met his much-deserved fate. Ben’s mistake had been corrected and the world had been saved. Before Imhotep completely succumbed to his death, he shouted something at the three in Ancient Egyptian.</p>
<p>   “Death is only the beginning.” Ben translated for Poe and Rey.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is the last chapter! Thank you everyone for all the amazing comments and kudos! I really appreciate all the love and support on my first fic. Subscribe to stay updated with the sequels!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hux, fueled by his greed, had gone back for another two bags full of gold. The weight was too much for him to carry, so he took a break and leaned up against one of the walls of the temple. This wall had a bar sticking out of it, which was perfect to set the bags down on. What Hux did not know is that pushing this bar set off an ancient trap in the city, causing all exits to be blocked by the walls closing down around whomever be trapped inside.</p>
<p>            The entire city shook as the walls came down, spreading loose sand and dirt that had not been moved in 3,000 years.</p>
<p>            Back in the sacrificial chamber, Rey said, “Time to go,” as she grabbed Ben’s hand and the three of them ran towards the exit. Running up the stairs, Poe was right behind them till he tripped and lost the Book of Amun-Ra in a pool of water.</p>
<p>            Ben ran back, pointing at the water pool in disbelief at his brother’s carelessness. “You’ve lost the book! Poe, I can’t believe….” Ben didn’t get to finish his angry speech as both Rey and Poe grabbed Ben’s hands and pulled him towards the exit telling him to come on and hurry.</p>
<p>            The three continued running through the temple when they arrived back in the treasure room. Poe took a moment to stop and admire the wealth around him.</p>
<p>            “Couldn’t we just…” he started to say, but was grabbed by Ben and Rey to keep him moving towards the exit. </p>
<p>            “No, Poe!” Ben shouted.</p>
<p>            Meanwhile, Hux was still trying to drag the gold he had acquired through the tunnel that was continuing to close in on him while holding a torch in the other hand. The weight of the gold was slowing him down, despite the fact that he could see the exit closing in on him fast. Dropping the bag, Hux crawled under the exit of the tunnel just in time to come out into the treasure room. He could see up the steps where Ben, Poe, and Rey were running towards the exit.</p>
<p>            “O’Connell!” He yelled after Rey as he was just behind him on the steps. The door to the treasure chamber was closing faster than the other doors.</p>
<p>            Rey held out her hand trying to grab onto Hux to pull him to safety. Hux did not make it in time. Rey retracted her hand and the door closed, locking Hux inside the chamber. “Good bye, Hux.” Rey said picking herself off the ground and walking out of the temple with Poe and Ben.</p>
<p>_________________________</p>
<p>   Inside the treasure chamber, Hux picked up his torch and crawled to the center of the room to avoid being crushed by the booby-trap. All the exits had been closed off, leaving him trapped inside. There was still light in the chamber, till one of the stones crushed the mirror and encased the room in complete darkness. The only light source was Hux’s torch.</p>
<p>   Hux whimpered, terrified of what was going to happen to him and what he was going to do. Off to his right, a scarab started squealing and clucking its pinchers at Hux.</p>
<p>   He yelled at the bug to go away. When the scarab refused to leave, Hux threw his torch at it, causing the scarab to squeal higher. Behind him, Hux heard more skittering as a mass of scarabs swarmed upon Hux. There was no escape of the enclave as Hux’s torch went out and encased him in complete darkness. At the first chomp, the scarabs began their feast as Hux screamed in pain with his last breath.</p>
<p>_____________________________</p>
<p>   Outside in the sun, the city of Hamanaptura began collapsing. Rey, Ben, and Poe continued to run well into the desert till they were good and clear of the city. Once they knew they were safe, the three turned to watch as the city was destroyed under the sunset and disappeared into the sand. <em>Good riddance </em>they all seemed to think simultaneously. </p>
<p>   Behind Poe, Finn was sitting on a camel when he tapped Poe’s shoulder, causing him to scream thus eliciting screams from Rey and Ben.</p>
<p>   “Thank you. Thank you very much.” Poe said sarcastically, but was really relieved to see their new friend alive.</p>
<p>   “You have earned the respect and gratitude of me and my people.” Finn said, thanking the three.</p>
<p>   Rey and Ben smiled and nodded their heads towards Finn. Poe said, “Yes, well, it was nothing.”</p>
<p>   “May Allah smile upon you always.” Finn said giving the three an Islamic blessing.</p>
<p>   “And yourself.” Poe replied making a cross in the air toward Finn. With that, Finn headed off into the sunset away from the destroyed city, possibly back to his people.</p>
<p>   “Yes, anytime.” Poe said as Finn departed.</p>
<p>   “Stay out of trouble.” Rey said.</p>
<p>   “He is just leaving us here.” Poe said, “Well, I guess we go home empty-handed again.”</p>
<p>   “I wouldn’t say that.” Rey said as she looked up at Ben.</p>
<p>   “Oh, Please.” Poe said rolling his eyes as he watched his brother lean down to kiss Rey passionately on the lips.</p>
<p>   “How about you, darling? Would you like a little kissy-wissy?” Poe said to the camel. When the camel howled at Poe, he got a good whiff of the animal’s stinky breath.</p>
<p>   If it hadn’t been for Poe’s insistence, Ben would have happily stayed right there and continued kissing Rey. When they finally broke apart, they bumped their noses together and shared a happy smile. They were finally together and not even an undead mummy could stop them.</p>
<p>   “Marry Me.” Ben whispered against Rey’s lips.</p>
<p>   “Yes.” She said without hesitation.</p>
<p>   The two climbed aboard a single camel, Ben holding Rey as she sat aside holding onto Ben, her arms wrapped protectivly around his neck. They followed Poe out of the desert into the sunset and back to Cairo. Unknown to the trio, one of the camels carried the riches that Hux had loaded earlier that day, leaving them rewarded with some of the hidden wealth of Egypt. At least, until their next adventure. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first fic and I would appreciate comments and Kudos. This story is completely written and will update one chapter a day. P.S. The sequel is on it's way!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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